Boree => Shanghai

Snow, snow, snow !

2009-04-02T15:51:00.005+02:00

Who is the fool who said me Turkey is a hot country !?! If I catch him, he will be hurt. Really hurt. There are some lost snow balls !

I had snow before Ankara, and I have again after Yozgat. I arrived under the sun in Sorgun, but the day after, I notice it snowed during the night : white coat on all the country ! And one hour after my start, the snow fall again. There is a lot of wind but I have got the good technique with my umbrella : I put it on my shoulder and the wind pin it against. I can walk with the hands in the pockets. Quiet. And there is snow and wind all the day. When I arrive in Akdağmadeni, there is 20 cm and -2 degrees on the signpost. But we are at the end of marsh !
Turkish people says they didn't see that for 10 years... I'm not surprised, I 'm suscribed to the phenomenon. I pass in Ardèche (mountains in France) and there is a lot of snow in April. I go in Corse ısland and I have snow in June month. I go in Austria for the end of May : snow again in the Tyrol. And each time the same local reaction : "we have never seen that since a long time !". Suscribed. I guess I offended a godess of the cold one day... Skadi, Ceridwen, I will offer you a crips packet if you leave me ! Or maybe it's the spring which run away from me : Persephone, Freyia, Cybel, and all the others, I promise, I will sacrifie for you a second packet of crisps if you come back ! I left Akdağmadeni with -3 degrees and will spend the day in the white mountains. Finally, if there is no wind, it's nice and beautifull. Like some ski holidays... But the road go down at the end of the day and the day after, it's the big sun arriving in Sivas.

Ankara, and after...

2009-03-30T10:17:00.002+02:00

I confirmed what I heard about Ankara : nothing to see, move out. So I move. I 've just stayed one day. The good thing is I have tested "Couchsurfing.com" and it work : it wasn't sure because I asked for a couch just the day for the next night. It's a bit short, I should asked before. But , surprise, I had 3 positive answers, and I spend my time in the flat of a French girl, Adelaide, who get used with the couchsurfing web. For my first experience, it was pretty good and I have been really well received. I left the city with very good mood, fresh and ready for a long way under the sun of the spring's sun (it was the 22nd of marsh !) : next step, Erzurum. It seems that a main part of the turkish economy is growing up between Istanbul and Ankara : I needed 3 days to go out the first one, and 2 days to come in the second one. But I just needed 3 hours to go out of Ankara... No more inustry, or urban area, just the country. And no more highway, just a national road not too much busy, so I can walk quietly.
Well, I walked like this until Yozgat, at about 200 km from there. My bag is light, and if the rain let me quiet, I can move on to 50 km steps without too much problems. Anyway, the landscape is sade, even under the sun : just large plains completely cultivated with sometimes some bald hills... and no one tree, nothing. I am surprised, they have cut everything with there industrial culture, there is nothing about kilometers around ! As far I can see from the road, on the last 300 km I did, no forest, no wood, no one grove, nothing ! Sometimes, just 2 or 3 trunks when there is a house... In those conditions, the wind is king. In the back, it can be nice, but on the face, it's a bit impeding. Maybe it could be possible to cross the country on a landyacht ?

So, every thing is OK, I would be in Sivas about th 1st of april...

The first days

2009-03-21T07:06:00.001+01:00

It's done, I am in Ankara.

Little "flash back" on the last 11 days... it's hard, each step was really different from the previous one ! Istanbul seems to be so far, I've got the sensation to start many weeks ago.

Let's start by the beginning : the first day. It was really nice, after said goodbye to my golden flatemates, I crossed the Bosphorus and spend the day folowing the shore. not a lot of traffic, but a lot of green, the sea, the sun... perfect. The evening, I left the shore to find a first accomodation (I was in Pendik).
From there, it's turning sour.
I advise the mosque and ask to sleep in. The second of the Imam (Hamid) is OK to help me, but the decision is from this last one. And everything I have is a sermon about th unicity of God and heresy of the christian trinity... failure. However, Hamid drive me in a little hotel and speak with the leader to make me a normal price. OK, I will try again tomorrow...
The day after, the conditions start to go bad : there will be rain or snow every days until Ankara. I thought I would need just one day to go out of the Istanbul's agglomeration : I needed 3 days to find some green. 3 days on th border of the national road D100, my umbrella in the hand, trying to escape the big sprays of muddy water the trucks chucked at me (I had 2 or 3 in the face), asking me when I will finally going out of this continuation of industrial and urban areas.
It's like this until Izmit. The next town is Adapazarı : I notice I can follow from there an other road to go to Ankara. There is more km, but it's not a matter : let's go.
Actually, it change. For better ! Firstly, there is no one. A vehicle every ten minutes. I am in the countryside, and if I lose some security (frequency of food shops, hostels), I win quiet, and decorum. Passing by a little town (Akyazı), a man call me and offer me to have a tea in the next Çaihane (thea shop). There, I try to explain my story. I do sensation and make the gathering. A man is particulary enthusiastic, speaking highly with big moves. He want to know everything but don't speak english. He calls his uy wife (or his cousine, I didn't really understood) who speaks french, and arrive to the question : where will you go to sleep this night ? I don't know, I would look for in the next village : kuzuluk. I learn there is a big hotel with a lot of stars, because there is a famous thermel spring and people come here for some cures. From ther, it's good for me : I spare you the details, but at the end, the guy and one of his friend will negociate for me and friendly price that they will offer me at the end ! I am for one night the property of a 3 rooms flate with jaccuzie... Everything I have to do is to give back the key tomorrow at 9 a.m. o'clock... Top. First action : a good warm bath !
The day after, I start under the sun, with radiant humor. I take a long time to do 20 km, but I am surprised to arrived at about 14H30 to my dayly destination ! Another surprise : my map is wrong. But I can't stop so early. I will stop in the first village after 17H30... But the road change suddenly : she go up in the mountains turning everytime and lengthening the distance, and the clouds go down. At first, the rain, after, the hail, and then, the snow, with the fog. And no one more vollage. Before I found one every 5 km ! The night falls... After 3 hours of walk, I start to be tired, but I can't stop. There is no shelter, it's cold, and I have to arrive somewhere. So, I gonna walk until 20H (about 25 km). It's the dark night since a long time, and I see nothing except the white line on the road (no moon) and pass the village of Çavrısdere without see it. I realize I passed it watching the hour : I am too far. I notice some buildings and lights : let's go.
I knock : the door is open. "Iyı Akşamlar !" "Salam Aleikum !" (be polite). A head appears. He makes me sign to come in. I seems to be not surprised to see me in his place with my head of scarecrow in this hour : I suppose he saw me on the road during the day. I use my little paper to explain who I am, what I do, what I am looking for (Thanks for Anlame, my turkish flatemate, who wrote me that), but he don't take care about that. He seems to live alone in a "ready built" barrack with a TV, a couch, a stove and a scale model. Are you hungry ? Yes. He disappears 5 minutes and come back with a good big dinner. Tea ? Thanks. Sleep ? Yeees ! He prepared me a bed with a electric radiator. He just advise me he will wake me up about 6H a.m. tomorow. No matter, it's good for me. And I sleep like a log.
The day after, it's snowing. I notice leaving the place it was like a military camp with barreres and flag, and the guy should be the guardian... from there the ecessity to go early before they come back.
And I do my second march of 45 km : if I walk, I am not cold, but I can't stop more than 5 minutes to have a break. I am out of order ariving in Mudurnu (run out of energy : I shouldn't do 45 km with nothing in the stomac). The next day, the snow fall with big flakes : it is funny, but I still can't stop. Sometime, I meet a village, but it's just some hardscrabble houses surrounding a mosque (new) with nothing to offer or to sell. fortunately, the road goes finally down and the snow stop when I arrive in the evening to Nallıhan. The day after, the landscape change all the 10 km : no more mountains or snow, but arid plain following cultivated plain, hills with strange colors, red, white, or yellow, a really strange area with green and red hils (welcome on Mars !)... a lac, some storks, I don't know really where I am, I take a lot of pictures until Çayıhan.
It was the best. The two last days, everything became sad before arriving in Ankara. But the cold is still there ! 3°C during the day, less in the night. And my feet protest against my big treks. A stop in Ankara is needed.

Chapter II - Istanbul/New Delhi

2009-03-07T13:51:00.002+01:00

Hello everybody.

After a few months in hibernation, time is come to leave again."On the road again" as said the other.
I start next Monday (9th of Marsh)

The last 4 months passed quickly, finaly, between the Yohanna's teach, the consulate library (I have read maybe about 50 books since november), the flatemates... No regret, it was super, but I can't wait to leave, now.
There is nothing to see with my start from France, where I was under stress. Today, I'm just happy to take the road again, no fear : I know where I go, I'm ready. I think...
So It's OK.
I send in France some materials : my dying tent (-3kg),my sleeping bag (-1,5kg), and some kilos of little useless things. I bought 2 bags to carry the rest : the total weight is not 10 kg, even with a full bottle of water. Other advantage : I will walk straight ! I was enough to walk bend down because of the weight of my big bagpack. Now, it should be right.
So, the question everybody ask to me : "How will you do if you have got nothing ?"
As I said before my start in France, I want to use the local hospitality to pass over the middle east. In this part of the world, it's always a religious deal.
And the fact I am (really)lighter should let me cover a bigger distance in the same time than before, or the same distance in a shorter time, and so, I should have more time to find a place to sleep each night. Anyway, I have no choice and it's not bad : I always have problems to go towards people, it's the occasion to change, and to learn.
And the night will be cold, which should delete my ultimate hesitations (faltering ?). In true, I learned Anatolia plateau is very cold in winter, with a lot of snow... But I take some precautions : stating now, I would arrive arrive in the coldest area (Erzurum-Tabriz) at the end of April. I hope the weather will be better. At all events, starting later would be dangerous in Himalaya mountains, and I prefer to be cold instead of in October...
About administrative questions, everything is OK until Tehran : my Iranian Visa wait for me in Erzurum, I made my turkish stamp longer...quiet.

I should write my next message from Ankara, the capital.

Let's go !

... abd happy new year 2009 !!!

2009-02-16T09:16:00.003+01:00

For me, it should be exceptional, so I wish the same for you !

Merry christmas !!!

2009-02-16T09:14:00.002+01:00

I wish you a merry christmas ! There, in Istanbul, Christmas go unnoticed, and there is just some little decorations in a few shops of the occidental area (Taksim). Everybody works like everyday. But Iwill not stay alone this evening : we organize a party in our flat with the french students community and some turkish french speakers and others nationalities. So, it should be nice.
Have a nice evening !

Istanbul, not Constantinople....

2009-02-16T09:13:00.003+01:00

Some news from everyday... not so routine, finaly !
First some pictures which was missing in my last messages :

This is my flatmates with, in order :

Rebecca, Erasmus slovakian student, maybe the most quiet in the group, and realy nice :

Rebecca live in the same room with Anlame, turkish, student too, which open mind and good mood make her someone very pleasant... if she stay more than 5 minutes on her chair without moving :

Johanna, french, erasmus student too, is studying geopolitic in the middle east. Enthousiastic, I think it's the younger in the flat :

And there is Zivile : photographer, vintage nickless maker to sell it on Internet, this girl is always in good mood, helpful, and her english is very funny : How are you, Zivile ? Yes ! - My name is Gauthier - Yes ! - Are you for or against Obama ? - Yes... very funny ! But It is her who lend me her computer where I write this message.
Thank you Zivile ! - Yes !

Then Younes : from Marrocco, loving France after a few years spend in Paris, this guy is a "live wire" from everytime ! Studying economy in Galatasaray (where is formed the Turkish elite), this is Mr atmosphere :

And me... but you know.

I forgot to present you my pupil, Yohanna : she is the daughter of a famous football player, Rigobert Song, Who play today in a turkish club, Trapzon.
At 6 years old, mademoiselle know what she wants, but she's got a good tempered, and everything is OK !

There is an avantage to live with students : I meet other students.
Thanks Younes, I met Sébastien (left) and Aurélien (right) :

The first one studies economy with Younes, the second is in philosophie. But above all. we have together a beard and long hair... ;-)
Younes, Sébastien, Aurélien, Johanna, me, and other passing people, this form a french group and don't help to speak english or turkish, but lets spend some super parties !!!

Now, what about my daily activities ?
Just one obligation : Yohanna's teach. Generaly about 5 p.m., I need more than one hour to go and an other to go back. It's theoccasion for me to train a little myself with half past an hour of walk and about 300 steps in the metro 2 by 2 on the feet toe, héhé !
But it's suffiscient for a long day. To start, I wake up late, like ) a.m. or more if the night was short. Then I spend the time between cleaning the flat, reading, and internet. For that, I have got the choice between take a PC from one of my flatmates, or gogo out in a internet shop on Istiklal.
What is Istiklal ? It's a street name, but a very imprtant street ! It's as popularas Champs Elysées in Paris, and have the same function. I heard between Friday and Sunday, there was about 3 million people passing there in normal time ! You don't trust me ? Have a look on this picture :

At the end of this street, you arrive on a bridge on the "Golden Horn", which separate the west side in two parts, north (ancient occidental parts reserved before to the italian people) and south (where is the sultan palace). On this bridge, there is all the day a large cohort of fishermen fiching some sardines :

Smoke is dangerous...

And thereis some more extras. For example, Younes suggested meto gowith him in Galatasaray university for a conference gived by the ancient prime minister and actual european deputy Michel Rocard !
Subject : Turkie in Europe. Really interesting, but the most funny is I made the photo coverage for Younes who was trying to have a dedication for his last book : so I visit all the university, catching everything... And after the meeting, Younes and me were ready for the next picture :

Maybe there will be other VIP before marsh, héhéhé...

I have been invited in a concert : electro music in oriental mix with electric cythare (not guitare) and belly dance...strange but fun !

So, everything allright

Iyi Gunler !!!

They are !

2009-02-16T09:12:00.006+01:00

There are others !!!

A lot of people said my I am crazy, and at the end, I was afraid : am I the only one ?
No. Passing by the library of the French Institute of Istanbul, I have learned a few time ago, some walkers passed here for a world turn ! This is their website : http://toutenmarchant.free.fr/

Of course, it's all an organization, with money, logistic, but it's nice to see there is people ready for that ! More surprizing : they started their travel like me in April, and not from far : from Grenoble !

Friends !

I have written them for they keep mea room in New Delhi when they will pass in. After all, we never know... ;-)

Taxi

2009-02-16T09:12:00.004+01:00

I have taken a taxi...
Said like this, it's nothing, but... Those who have test it in Turkie, Egypt, Algeria or same countries can surely understand me...

How to explain ?
Do you know the movie "TAXİ" from Luc Besson ? So, Daniel and his with taxi is a little player after the turkish drivers : they are killers ! And I heard they are worse during ramadan because of warm and hungry!
Third speed, one hand on the wheel, the other on the klaxonand let's go !!! (Geronimo !!!) Zig-zags in the traffic jam, forcing the through, brutal turns to find littles streets where just one car can pass, I see the rear-view mirror missing narrowly the obstacles... Turn right, turn left, klaxon and imprecations, always faster to be the first engaged in the street to have the right, come back on the speed way, zig and zag on a vague area in a mix of car and walkers and it's alive (yes, yes !) I arrive at destination.
Phew !
(a little plea to the saint of the taxi customers)

It was the back way. My first driver was older and slower, but as dangerous as the young driver driving so badly ! And I know what I say : those who have seen me driving know I am an expert in furious drive !

And the life get organized...

2009-02-16T09:11:00.002+01:00

I lived 10 days in a youth hostel closed to Sultanhamet, the real touristy area of the west side. During this time, I looked for a mean to win money and find a flat without loosing my shirt...

For the job, I have seen by surfing on the web I didn't have any work autorisation... Not planned, that ! But for one hand, to have it, I need to pay and wait for a long time, and for an other hand I learned a large part of strangers here work in official posts without any autorisations and any problems... Just remains the language barrier. So, I checked the french community, and french schools (there is a lot here!), and I have proclaimed myself "scholar assistant" to give some help to pupils in trubbles.
I went in a primary school called "Pierre Loti", just in the same time with a help request from a mother's pupil... So, now, I've got a very nice little pupil, Yohanna, and I make her repeat her lessons everyday !

Then, for the flat, I betted on collocation, and on a french forum, I found a very nice place not far of Taksim (for who know). We are 6 : one French girl, one Lituanian girl, one turkish girl, one slovakian girl, one boy from Marocco, and me ! That is 3 french speakers... It's the Yussuf fault, the owner : he speak better french than english and let his announcement on french websites, so...
They are student (Erasmus) except the Lituanian girl who his photographer (and me who is... nothing !). The atmosphere is very nice, all confort, nothing to say, super.

OK, let pass the next 4 months. So, don't be surprise if there is no new message during this time, because my environment will not change like before.

Ciaobye!

Istanbul : discovery

2009-02-16T09:10:00.006+01:00

I've had some turistic activities since 3 days. I didn't go far, just the main part of the west side. However, it's enough to fall under the charm, and in two days, I would take more or less 300 pictures... It's an admirable city, offering majestic overall views (Hayasofia, Blue Mosque, Sultan's palace) and little wonders (colored markets, old quarters and mosques, popular snapshots, lighting of the gold in th Grand Bazar...), the Bosphore views with all the boats in the sunshine, etc... It's a city you can hear : the muezzines with their loudspeakers war at the plea hour, the countless little merchants screaming their goods, trying to proove you they have something you need (even if you don't know that), the concert of klaxons in a "living" ciculation, the golden market, and of course the sounds of a southern language...
Istanbul is eatable too : Dürüm or Kebab for cheap, or exotic meats for richers, there is everything everywhere, and the most little hungry can be satisfacted all 20 m in all food shops and free pedlars. I think one day, people there knew the hungry, and never forgotten it. And it's always time for a tea ("Çai")... I don't grow tired about that : me who never drunk it before! I must confess that to spend a few hours on a high colors wall seat with a good book and 2 or 3 çai, with in the hears a sweet oriental music... I feel like a pasha.
But there are some pictures will speak better than me :

2009-02-16T09:10:00.004+01:00

I've had some days to put down my bag and have a rest...

So, what about those 6 last months ?
From here, it was not so hard... bad remembers became good after a while, and finaly, the real difficulty was the weather : big warmth wear down the physic, the rain break the moral, the cold during the night... I didn't thought I would be aware that like this.
Apart from that, I realize it all happen very well : I didn't be ill, the language barrier was not a problem, I met some people very welcoming... I have seen how a smile let go far. I verified it everyday : I walk with my feet, but I go with my head. Moral, always.
Until now, I had never problems to sleep where I wanted, or to find some food regularly. It's a help. I haven't lost a lot of weight (75 kg at the start, 70 in Austria, maybe the same today), health is good...
So, everything is OK.
Wht did I learn during this time ?
I visited very different contries, with a real contrast at all levels (Switzerland and Albania are a good example) : population mentality, their hope, their vision of the world...
I have seen wonderful places : Moutains of Switzerland, Viena, Dalmatia coast, antic Greece...

Many people was surprised by my speed : I walk fastly. 40 km minimum each day (8 hours of walk), but in fact, I think it is not so impressive : on one hand, if the day is suffisciently longer, , I can do 50, 55, or 60 km like I did 2 times, and I am able to walk 5 or 6 hours (25-30 km) with no stop. and I am like a clocker now : 1 hour = 5km, morning and evening. It is not very fast, but I have the time to improve myself.
My bag too has never stop to get lighter : from 25 kg, he quickly fall at 22 and 20kg. In Greece, I reduce him, and now, he would be about 15kg, more or less... I think about removing some other items and buy a littler bag. Until where could I go ?

I am in Istanbul since a week, today. Return to the city life : I let you imagine the contrast !To look for a job, a flat, to walk in the streets, to take the metro... The attetion is always seeked by lights, calls, noise, always the noise, and the people, everywhere...
I have seen for myself a strange phenomenon : I never felt bored even if I was always alone during the last 6 months, but there, in the middle of all this people, I feel alone... not for a long time, of course (it is not in my nature), but as I couldn't stay quiet alone, in my head, I met the loneliness in a 12 million people cıty... strange.
But it will not be longer : if I can find a job and a flat, I will be in the situation I left in March : metro-job-sleep.

End of the chapter I - Borée/Istanbul

2009-02-16T09:09:00.004+01:00

I'm arrived in Istanbul. After 6 months and two week of walk, and about 6000 or 6500 km, crossing 7 countries, I made the easyer part of my travel (I think).

I'm arrived the Sunday, 26th of October, but it's just now, the 29th, I feel "arrived". After my entry in Istanbul, I runned to find a cheap hostel, find my marks, buy a coat and shoes, etc... Today I can ave a rest.

I finish the viit o th main turistic places I have started yesterday (Hayasophia, Blue Mosquee, Topkapı palace, Grand bazar ...) and will come back on the blog later to make a real check.

Allaha ısmarldık !

Autumn

2009-02-16T09:08:00.006+01:00

It's done, we are in autumn. I have discovered he didn't have any visa, and he was waiting for me at the border.
It's everyday colder than the day before, wind is permanent, trees are loosing their leaf, clouds mask the sun more and more... it's time to arrive, and quickly ! I'v got nothing for this kind of weather, and once I wear my all my clothes, I just can walk waiting for the next petrol station and a burning tea.
And the days became shorter and shorter : if I want to do 40 km between the sunrise and the sunset, I can't stop anywhere. But it's to cold to stop somewhere : there is nothing no stop the wind, no forest, no obstacle, and I don't want to be frozen stand up. The worst is in the morning : when I go out of my tent, make my bagpack, and go about 7h'( or 8h a.m. There, my inner temperature is not far of the "Miko Ice cream". Glagla...
And Istanbul is still so far...

The border

2009-02-16T09:07:00.003+01:00

The weather is beautiful, air is cold, humor very good, so, everything is OK when I arrive to the control post of Kipi, the greek side of the border. Passeport please - yes - all right, you can go - adios.
I take my bag and go, but the agent stop me at the last time :
- You walk ?
- Yes. (very clever !)
- You can't pass by foot, it is not possible.
- Really ? why ?
- It is not possible, you have to take a bus, a taxi, or ask for a drive.
I repeat my question, but maybe his english is too limite, or maybe he thinks I'm stupid, but he give me the same answer.
Ok, ok. It's not the first time I hear "impossible", o I don't insist and go. it's always possible despite of they say...
I arrive to a bridge guarded by two soldiers :

And there, actually, it's impossible.
- But it's ridiculous, it's forbidden to walk, now ? There is a sidewalk !
- No, no, it's forbidden, ask for a drive.
I try again, but nothing to do. I am yet lucky that one guy speak english, I will not argue with them.
I come back to the greek border. There is not a lot of traffic, but it's contant and regular. The most of people stop in the duty free shop, so I can talk with them, but without success. And a lot of them don't speak english and don't understand me. A bus drive is OK to take me, but he don't want to stop before Istanbul and ask for 30 euros... he don't understand I just want to do 2 km until the turkish border.
So, 1h30 later, I'm still in the same place.
At the end, I ask to the customs officiers to drive me : of course, they refuse. But it will be usefull 10 minutes later. I have been spotted by an officier working in the visa office, and she (it was a girl) call me to ask me something I don't understand (I don't speak greek). But one of the customs officiers arrive and explian her my problem. She understand and, cleverer than her colleagues, she talks with some truck drivers waiting for their passports : 2 seconds after, she find me a transport !
I finally can cross this %+°e² bridge and go in Turkia (Thank you Mrs !)
Controle - passport - stamp, it's done.

In the meantime, I offer me my first Turkish tea ("çai") : very good.

Now, I just have to join Istanbul to close this part of my travel. Distance : 250 km.
It's 12 o'clock now, so I stop after one hour in a petrol station (Instead of developping a train web, turks have a lot of travel cars company and one of the consequences is a web of big petrol stations every 10 or 20 km with everything inside : shop, restaurant, cafeteria, wc, sometimes a hostel or a mosque, etc...) and decide to celebrate the crossing with a real lunch instead of my traditional sandwich. I choose at random a salad and a meat, and the waiter bring me a mix of green hot pepper and aubergine with with cheese. I come from Normandy : bring up with fresh cream and unsalted butter. But despite of my apprehension, it was very good, and pepper past correctly (i' iz ho', bu' 'ood!). Anyway, my stomac has no choice : it will be harder and harder until India, so, let's accustom now.
And I go. The geography is more or less the same, but there is no more one olive tree or cotton field to see : in fact, all the open country without exception is plowed and offer a naked ground to the look. The landscape is brown. with a blue sky and and a grey road.

The night fall, I find a place in a field. Like everytime, it's forbidden to camp rough in Turkia. And like everytime, I have no problem to do it...

Last days in Greece

2009-02-16T09:06:00.004+01:00

End of Europe...
I had underrate the mileage : I thought I would arrived in Istanbul in the beginning of October, but it will be to the end.
I'm arrived this morning in Alexandropolis, last town before the turkish border, on the Egea sea coast.
The way was simple since Thessalonic : full East by Kavala, Xanthi, Komotini, and Alexandropolis, with just 3 days of walk between each city.
I thought to describe a bad landscape without interest, but at the end, it was better : for the main part, Macedonia and Thracia seem to be more populated than the south of Greece. More industrial too. Dumpy, with a big traffic, no beautifull landscape, and very polluted : the sun don't pass the fog before 10 o'clock a.m., and disapear about 17h p.m. with red colors as he was at the skyline... yuk yuk... After Kavala, I grew impatient to go out of there quickly.
But yesterday, I'm arrived in Maronia, in the south of Komotini. My map said there was a big archeological site, but in truth, there is nothing to see. But on the other hand, after, the road (in fact, I should speak about a trail, just for 4x4 and walkers) follow the mountains base falling in the sea just under, passing by olive fields in terrass, and wilder area full of flowered briards with purple and yellow colors... air was pur there, I was alone with birds, benefitting of the quiet... happy. Then, the road leave the mountain to find a riviera bording the coast on 15 km until Alexandropolis : beautiful isolated houses, nice cars (SLK200 for example), it smell the residential area for big annual KEuro. In consequence, no traffic, still quiet, still nice, and I was really in very good mood arriving in Alexandropolis.
All th more so as the weather play for me : cold in the morning (I keep my sweater until 10 a.m.), but the temperture grew up until 20 or 25 degrees in the afternoon, and there's almost a big sun. To walk in those conditions is easyer, and it's like this since about 15 days;

1 day, and I should join the border to leave Europe.

Rdv in Istanbul ! THe country of Lukums and Baklavas...

PS : my tent is all right !

Thessalonic

2009-02-16T09:05:00.004+01:00

The sun came back 3 days ago. Not very hot (we are in october), so everything is OK. To walk is pleasant again, and I move forward normaly. I passed by Larissa (nothing to see, I passed my way), and I was in Pella yesterday. This is a little town without any interest in particulary, exept it was the Macedonian capital under Pillip II 's rule, Alexander's father. So, they 've digged the ground and found the old city foundations of the center, the agora, some houses, the palace, etc... So, it's possibl now to visit an archeological site and a museum, ... like everytim, in fact. To say the truth, there is not a lot of things to see on the site, but the museum is present a lot of wonders, fine golden or bronz items, some beautiful mosaics, so, it's really impressive. In particulary the golden crown of Pillip II... It's worth passing there. Today, I'm arrived in Thessalonic, the second bbigger city in Greece. Like in Athen, I have been obiged to walk about 20 km in a big industrial area... I won't complain myself (or just a little for the tradition) because this time I was happy to be there.
2 days ago, arriving on Pella I slept in a cotton field (Thessalia and Macedonia seems to be big prouctors of cotton), and in the morning, building back my tent, I break the second arch. Shit. Looking at th rest of the other pieces I notice 2 others cracks ready to fail... It's over, I think. I had a reparation on my first arch, but I'm not a wisard. Ok, too bad, let's get moving. So after Pella, I slept in a hostel. And this morning, arriving in the industrial area, I find a crummy workshop where 2 old men look at the time passing. I try my luck, and it's a deal : they have a iron tube in the ood size, and they accept to cut me 3 parts. I will test it when I will leave the city, but a-priori, it should be able to go until Istanbul. That's all I need.

A morning...

2009-02-16T09:04:00.006+01:00

A morning, near Lamia, at 7 o'clock...

Beautiful, no ? Perfect to start a new day after a bad night, when you need some encouragements...

The pictures

2009-02-16T09:03:00.003+01:00

THere are the pictures. All right, everybody know them : they made the turn of the world and the story books, but it's still impressive to face them !
The ruins of Mycen and the Lions gate :

The Acropole of Athen, Parthenon, Dyonisos theatre.. In fact, its really big ! I thought it was littler, but in the place, it's incredible ! I was so enthusiastic that turists didn't disturbed me, who hate them usually...

I take this occasion to do my star, hop :

And the national museum of Athen, so famious. It's nice, it was one I really wanted to see in my life, with Londan one and New York one (I already know le Louvre and the Vienna one)
This is a sample :

And after Athen, I have gone up to Delphi. The rain made a little stop just for me when I arrived on the archeological site at the end of the day, just to let me visit quietly !

Me, I love. OK, in truth, sometimes, it's just a stone pile, and who is able to say what is it without the explaining bord is surely very clever. But it make me dream, the site is impressive, so, no regrets. However, it should be : 4 days of walk under the rain for 2 hours of visiting... And I just have to take the road again until the next destination... So bad. But it's the game.
So let's go. Direction Pella, in the north, and after Thessalonic and the turkish border.

Let's start again : Mycen, Corinthia, Athen...

2009-02-16T09:02:00.005+01:00

OK, my enthusiasm regained, I am a few days later in Mycen.. Weather change lightly, a bit less hot, some clouds... it's easyer.
I visit, I walk, I sleep, I visit... Going to the north, clouds are bigger and bigger, and it's under a fine raine I arrived in Athen. a real northman weather. Ended the sun !
I live in a youth hostel to have a chance to sleep correctly : I have seen the municipal camping, I I have no chance to close an eye here ! Thoses stupides have build it closed to the main road to leave Athen : a 3x3 road which join the highway. The noise is incredible, why did they build it there ? Anyway. In true, My tent have to be handle carrefully now : builded and builded back everyday, she start to be tired... a lot of my tent pegs are broken or twisted, I have broken an arch just before Mycen... Fortunately, I have got a protective tube to repare it, but I used it on the first arch which have a problem too... so my tent looks like strange now. No matter, It would be OK until Istanbul.

For the archeological sites, the museums, it's nie and very interesting, but I prefer to give you some pictures instead of starting risky speach.
Tomorrow, I leave Athen and should arrive in Delphi in 4 days.

Olympia

2009-02-16T09:00:00.002+01:00

It's worth a detour. For me who like ol stones, I'm served !
There is a lot of french people in Greece, it's a very popular destination, so I won't develope too much, because maybe you already know, or surely you will go there one day.
Olympia is the first big archeological site I visit. There are temples, stades, buildings from Roman period, Ionnian or Dorian (like the Era's temple)... Oops, sorry, little mistake, I didn't see buildings, just some fundations, 2 or 3 columns still stand up, one wall, and a big stone pile near.
But me, it talk to me, I have imagination... I take my time, I look at 2 children running on the stade, I profit : we are in the first days of september, there isn't a lot of turists, the sun is giong own and give to the with stones orange colors... nice.
A detail shock however : everything have burned in the west of Peloppnese, do you remember ? And now, we still can observe firetracks until the archeological site border : they hab a narrow escape ! The morning after, I notice some water spears in action : local autorities give themselves the possibility the restor the green in the place, and they are drowning the region under tonnes of water. In true, there is a sign at the main city entry : "Olympia, green city" ! Of course, of course...
Olympic games museum and archeological museum are very good too ! Really interesting !
Unfortunately, You will have no one picture.
2 days after, I arrived in Kalamatta on the south coast of Pelopponese, in order to join Sparte and Mystras. I leave the city at the nd of the afternoon, do some km in the mountain, and stop in a oliver field (for a change : not my fault, all the region is covered by oliver trees). The day after, I go slowly, because I'm really tired since 2 or 3 days (I sleep bad). The road is beautifull, go up in the mountains, but it's not very good for me : I have no more water since yesterday evening, and I don't find springs one the road. So, after 5 hours of walk, I arrived in Artemisia village completely "dryed". I stop, eat, and everything's better. But 2 bus stop there, unloading a turistic mass in my restaurant ! I don't fight, I take my bag and go. But It's 2 p.m., and I don't want to take the road agin in the fumace : I do 300 m and find a bench under a tree closed to th road...super.
I put back my bagpack, lie down and sleep one hour.
Waking up, no more camera.
Bumb, right ? In full mountain, no one around there, children at school, adults at work... There was just little old people who would be pass there by foot...
I return to the restaurant, nothing. I do the traject 2 times, nothing. Someone who speak english advise me to return in Kalamatta to inform the turistic policy. I don't think it will be helpful, but it's the minimum to do. OK, let's go. I hitch a ride and find quickly a car who drive me back to my starting point...
I depress
The fact to lose my camera already : it's not for the material, but there was all my pictures until Dubrovnik ! One month, about 300 pictures ! Everything now is in the strainer I have in the head ! Crisis
And to be obliged to come back... I hate that. Really ! I never come back, even if I made a mistake in my direction. I never turn back, I always look in front of me, always. So, the fact the be again in Klamatta, the loosing of my pictures, the tiredness still there...
Shit. I return in the camping and the day after, I spend the time doing nothing, I stop in a coffee shop, internet center, a park... I find a shop and buy a new camera, and start to think about the next step in the evening.

new record !

2009-02-16T08:59:00.002+01:00

The last one was in Austria : almost 60 km this day... that's old !
Starting 4 kmin the south of Patra, first Peloponese city, I'm arrived in Olympia yesterday evening at 20 o'clock p.m.
113 km in 2 days ! 50km the first day, and 63 the second !
Tired, but happy.
In true, I just had to do 92 km, but my map is wrong for one distance, adding 3 "surprising" km, and I missed my way at the end of my first day, adding 15 km more which I would do without.
I explain : the morning of my first day, I walk correctly and do 30 km before stop in a coffee shop about 2 p.m. I imagine if I walk like this in the evening, I should be able to arrive in Olympia tomorrow as the city will be just at 45 km, which is just a normal dayly distance...
But in the evning, I missed my way just before stop and build my tent... And in the morning, bad awake like everytime, I follow the road in the same direction during two hours !!! It's just at 9 o'clock a.m. I realize I have the sun in the eyes instead of having it in the back.
What a damned stupide idiot !!!!
Incredible : after more than 4 months of walk, I'm still not able to make the difference between West and East !!! Drag one day, drag for ever ! I am really furious against me.
Anyway, I will arrive in Olympia this evening. But at the end, I came back to my starting point at 10 o'clock a.m., and I have always 45 km (48 latter) to do !
I get a move on, using my irritation to walk faster, I supprime the usuals stop, and go until 3 p.m.. THen, I tk one hour to eat and have a little rest, and start again for 4 hours of walk. And I can stop in the first cming of Olympia just before the sunset.
Happy about the performace, but in truth, it's mostly the sign I'm as stubborn as a mule, because I had no one interest in particulary to respect my "Patras-Olympia in 2 days", and now, I'm ache all over...

Strange story...

2009-02-16T08:58:00.002+01:00

I leave Agrinio, little town in Epyre, and take the direction of Mesolongie, on the coast. The warmth is correct, it's 8 o'clock a.m., and I walk quickly, like ever in the morning. A few km farest, I see a car stopped on the border : a guy is siet on the right side, and the driver is outside, waving to the other cars on the road. But no one stop. Coming up to them, the driver look at me and ask me for help.

-Do you speak english ?
- yes
The man, joining both hands like a plea sign, say me :
- Please, don't you have 20 euros for me ? It's to buy some petrol, we runned out. In return, I give you my ring, it's gold.
He show me a little golden signet ring. I get used to albanian customs, and I think it's just a charm for 1 euro.
So, why did I decide to help him ? I don't know, I didn't think a lot, I was not completely waked up, a guy need help... It's stupide, I will need money before the end of my travel !
But I take my money and give him 20 euros.
The guy light up himself !
-Thank you, thank you, the ring is your !
- I don't want your charm, what I would do with it ?
- No, no, take it ! And he take my hand and let is ring in. And try to kiss my hand !!! I just have the reflex to stop it.
He thanks me again like the messiah himself going down on the hearth to help him...
- Where are you from ?D'ou es-tu ?
- France, and you ?De France, et toi ?
He show me the car registration : Bulgaria
Goodbye and let's go.
And I forget him. I'm still sleeping, the landscape is beautiful, I visit a nice chapel builded in a cliff, I walk in the mountains...
About 1 p.m., I stop in a coffee shop and take my note. And my bulgar come back in memory : who was this guy ?
I take out again the ring of my pocket and examine it : it's metal. A manual work. Inside, I see 2 marks : the first one is unreadable, but the second one say "18k"... 18 carat ? %&*@ ! It's really gold ?
THis guy give me a gold ring for 15 or 20 L of petrol ?
What is the price of a baril today ? He was surely hurry to go far and quickly. And his way to thank me... It seems I saved his life !
4 days later (today), I go to see a jeweller : he confirms it's gold, but learning about the origin, he advises me to keep it as remember instead of trying to sell it.
It was my intention.

Welcome in Greece !

2009-02-13T21:40:00.018+01:00

After Ioaninna, I take the road in direction of Nicopolis and Preveza. I met a couple who have a restaurant closed to the road (again ? yes...). They fill in enthusiasm about my travel and offer me the dinner and the roof ! They make me seen a little museum talking about the story in Greece by wax sculptures represanting the most emblematic people in differents periods : very good ! Farest on the road, I have visite the little museum of the war 1912-1913 : it's from this littl casttle that during several year, th greek king and his generals have drived the conquest of the country on the Albanian front. The museum is guarded by 3 soldiers, and it's a young called up who gived me all the explications, just for me : me who love story lessons ! So nice ! After, it's not so nice : I leave the mountains which let me in the shadow since the day before, and the warmth reach records, with 40 degrees in the shadow... and I have no more shadow. I feel like a hamster in a dryer ! After just 4 days of walk, I stop again in Preveza to sleep.

Albania II

2009-02-13T21:40:00.017+01:00

There's no use to speak about Durres : nothing to see apart from an old roman building (amphitheatre ?), and a few metres of ancient walls. Let pass. I continue to the south, and in the town of Fier, I leave the main road to cut directly to Greece, passing by Telepene. If you don't see were is it, I send you to the map of my first messages. After that, a lot of things have changed. You have to know that half of the population lives in the countryside : little farms and various cultures and livestock farming. UNtil the border, I will find a beautiful landscape with fawn colors, yellow or brown in a hedged farmland limited by mountains which rocks colors change from dark blue in the morning to pink in the evening, passing by white and brown during the day. Nice. People are nice too, with an easy access, and I sleep in the field without stress, contrary to Montenegro where I used to sleep with an eye open. Like always in this type of situation, the life is hard, but simple : herdsmen spend the day in the shadow watching 3 cows or 10 guinea fowls, teenagers offer, like in the city, to wash cars... I have seen a few old tractors : everything is still done by hand, helped by some donkeys or little horses. However, each little village brings like in the city his dumps and pollution : I woudn't let one finger in the most little water spot, even if it is running water, in all the country ! Even if there is no wastes on the top, I see large colored surfaces betraying oil or petrol presence...
I will find good water in Tepelene : before, it was the region capital under the turkish domination. The famous local man is Ali Pasha (1740-1822, something like that) : this nice guy is known for having drowned all his harem in the Ioannina lake (in Greece today)... But come back to Tepelene : the castle and city walls are still stand up, but th place is famous for a big beautiful and quality spring, and everybody stop there to have a rest on the road between Tirana and Greece. It's easy : water flows from everywhere ! All the 2 m, a tube come out of the rock and spit out in abundance. Restaurants are builded in the forest with terrass which make waterfall : no use to ask water to the waiter, just tilt to have fresh water. I liked it, all the more so as warmth was hard. Farest, there is the cattle of Gjirokaster, maybe the most beautiful in Albania : I spend there one night to have a rest, because the warmth, on top of sapping my moral and energy, try to return my stomac... happiness of travels... Well, I arrived at the greek border to the post of Kakavie. No matter, but I notice a change : it's green ! I turn around and take a photo : albanian mountains, open country, all the country is brown. A politic border, just a fencing, nothing in fact, and everything is green in the greek side ! Someone can explain ? Green=vegetation=trees=shadow (sometimes). So, it's a bit more confortable, and I arrive in Ioannina in 2 days. there, I stop one day to find a good map of greece and prepare the next step. Other good change : people drives correctly again ! I confirm : albanians drive like bushy, prefering to use the klaxon instead of slow down, or just stop to overtake in the bends... After the order, I have met the fear of the "albanian" : - Good evening, is it possible to sleep there ? I disturb no one ? - No, no, but you shouldn't stop there. - Why ? Is there a problem ? - Well, albanians without papers are use to pass there to go in Europe. It's dangerous. Stay closed to the building where we can see you. Like in Slovenia, Croatia, or Montenegro, the albanian make fear. His reputation is dreadful (Mafia, D system, webs...). After spending two weeks there, I would say a wod for albanian people. I don' know what is their behaviour out if the country, but inside, you have to make a distinction between the city's one and the country's one. In the city, there is 10 per cent of the population who manage well (sometimes, I would know how...), and the rest survive. Young try to win the 6 or 7 thousands euros they need to pass in Europe. All means are good for that, even if people are still smiling and speak easily, it's not ideal. But I try to understand them : I think me too, knowing the world thanks to the television, I would try to leave the country at all coast ! Especially when the uncle or big brother come back 5 years later with the pockets full of money. In the country, it's different : life seems to pass slowly, like before, people are simple, quiet, and some nervous from our countries should take them in example. So, don't put all Albanians in the same bag.

Albania, from Shkoder to Durres.

2009-02-13T21:19:00.005+01:00

The situation in this country is badder than in Montenegro, but however, I feel better there. People there still able to smile.
I met a poor population, but welcoming. Generally, it looks like what I heard or read about Turkia ! I will confirm it when I will be there (or not). Expecting that, here, I've got 10 propositions everyday to be drived, people are so curious about me they offer me the coffee just to keep me with them and answer to their questions, if I need help to find a hostel or anything else, they gang up to find... Warmhearted.

But it's after passing the first impression.
When I arrived in Shkoder, in the north of the country, I thought I missed my way :"But where am I ? Is it Mozambik or what ? Excuse me sir, the way of Europe, please ?"
The south suburbs where I have found a correct little hostel, is covered with rubbish like I had never seen before ! In the middle of a wasteland, 2 dogs are fighting for some ordures, in an other, a little horse is tether (horses there are plastivore ?), a bigger dump has overflowed in the river, making a little dam... Just one old bridge, where 2 cars can pass together, let some people fishing in the river... Some crummy houses making think about shantytown and closed to there, some building sites or new (but empty)... and everywhere group of inactives men who talk, play chess or domino, children play football...
Gloops !

I go in the center to visit a little, and there, despite of the broken pavement and some dump in the corners, it's a european city like elsewhere, with avenues and places and coffee shops, whitout interest in particulary. I spend there one day to look at this strange (for me) population, sit down at a coffee terrass or walking in the street : it's the first time I feel realy "elsewhere" : I don't no where but it's nothing to see with what I know, and I have everything to learn.
The muezzin voice record me I am in a muslim country : indeed, it's not a church I see in the center place, it's a beautiful mosque. It's 9 a.m., the coffee terrass is full, but I notice something : there are just men here ! All ages, but no one woman. The atmosphere is nice, they seem to know themselves all and pass from table to table and from coffee to coffee to salute, talk a little, to laugh... then I look at the street circulation : it confirm what I have seen yesterday...
But for the "driving method in Albania", it is worth writing a special paragraph :
Very simple : in the city, you have no traffic light, no signs, a very few zebra crossing (old and invisibles) which serve to no one, and it's necessary to have a real phisical separation to force drivers to respect the right traffic way. To drive in Albania (if one day you are forced), you will need a good survival instinct, to stay quiet, and above all a good klaxon ! This is the security element number 1. More, it's a true communication mode, more sophisticated than it semms to be, and I suppose young albanians do "klaxon - second language" at school...
It serve to say "Caution, I come !", Caution I here", Caution I have passed", "Let me pass", "Hi", "good bye", "Have you brought the bread ?"etc... It's klaxonning everywhere and everytime ! It's so established in the drive custom that a lot of people have tunned their klaxon : from the pathetic buzzer to the police siren, passing by all klaxons 2 or 3 pitch, car alarms... on the national road, which is straight, I'm sure a blind driver would be able to drive just with ears ! It's like a long wedding convoy which would never finished.
There is no speed excess in town : just one acceleration could make a disaster. I have seen a moped going a little too fast : 50 m farest, it's the "drift" to escape a walker...
Yes, because on top of the drivers who drived so badly, in total ignorancy of the wing mirror, there is the walkers who cross in the traffic without any worry about cars, horsecarts, potholes... I see driving school 's cars, but I suppose the main lesson is "How to stay alive from the point A to the point B"...
But I note that no one is nervous : there klaxon is not synonymous of reprimand like in France, it's realy to "communicate".

What have I seen during the last 4 days ? However the poverty of the country, the road between Shkoder and Durres looks like a beautiful large French national road, realy straight, with petrol station and washing station every 2 km (I find increadible quantities of wash station everywhere : they spend their time to wash their car, here !).

A last word on my environment : lot of plain, separated by little mountains, and a lot of agriculture (Maize above all)
and some livestock farming. Not like in switzerland, of course ! Just 2 or 3 cows in the same meadow, for local using. And above the towns like Shkoder or Lezhe, I see casttles, in good condition seen from the road... I should visit one before to leave the country.

Montenegro ("Crne Gore" for intimates)

2009-02-13T21:18:00.002+01:00

Montenegro, it's dead loss
Let see in Albania what's happen.

It's the only one comment I wanted to do going out of the country. However, I can't reasonably simplify like this, without argue.
So, let's develop.

About geography, there is not a lot of changes compared with Croatia : mediteranean climate, mountains, little vegetation. But there is no more isles face to to shore to embellish the landscape. So it's less beautiful but still nice.
I have just followed the coast, without explore the lands. So I will not speak about all the country.
The coast is overwhelm by tourist mass. There are some beachs, littles or bigs, and Tourism should be a large part of the economic ressources of the country, which don't seems to have a lot of others (the european agency of reconstruction aside...) : I met a lot of Serbian people (they will not go in Croatia !) but there is too a lot of germans, and Italians. Consequence : beach are just a big line of beach umbrella, where tourists look for 80 cm²/each one, and seen from the road, it's like a factory. Dumpy. And just after, nearly each time, it's a public open dump. Sometimes there is a camping between them...
The sanitary situation remember me the Bosnian one, and it's not a chance for me. People can access to the consupt society, but public supplies are not suffiscients. The border of the road , of the city, of the villages, everywhere it's full of rubbish... It's my environment during all the day, but the most borring, at the end, it's all the dead animals bodies I meet every ten minutes (it's biodegradable, so why to pick it up ?) : cats, dogs, hedgehogs, serpents, turttles, rodents, badgers, fox, I have even seen a wolf ! And everything in a decomposition statement from the fresh meat to black tarmac carpet
Add a merciless sun and very less shadow than in Croatia : I burn, I dissolve myself, I vanish km after km...
Add too a not welcoming population : the tourist who can pay will have no problems to find a room in town, but outside, nothing more. I make me drive away each time I ask to somefarmer if I can sleep on his land. One night, I slept without any permission in a remote place thinking I would be not discover, another time, I sleep in a house under construction, and the two others nights, I spend them in town. But sleeping ouside was not a very good idea : dogs, roosters, people working during the night... I accumulated some tiredness.
People there are generaly poor, but a minority make profite with tourism and some oportunities, and the social break I visible. I have seen in the city some car sellers from BMW and Audi, some pictures speaking about "Luxuary appartments" (the building is under construction) etc, but most people drive old Polo which make my lung sooty, and live selling 3 watermelon and 2 onion on the way. My impression, traveling there, is a mix of contempt and pity, increased by tiredness and irritation : this country look for receive a maximum of tourits, and for that, , he denies his reality of developping country, he hide his misery behind a screen for occidental people. Iwould do better to work for his people, and save the coast agin the builders, and assume a real public service !

So, hard warmth, inhospitality, touristic mass, dumps, tiredness : I'm realy happy to finish with this country which have the good idea to be little -> it's quickly crossed.
on le traverse tres vite.
I pass the border in the south of the country and stop to Shkoder, in the north of Albania, to have a rest. My head don't want to go anymore, and I have to find a new impulse.

Dubrovnik, Croatian's pearl...

2009-02-11T14:43:00.003+01:00

It seems I have take the Croatian coast in the good way : more and more beautiful !

-> Rijeka : nothing to see, apart the little village of Opatja.
-> Zadar : not bad, but too much tourists
-> Sibenik : beautiful town, interesting
-> Split : fall in love with her vestiges an alleyways
-> Dubrovnik : .... impressive

Contrary to Split, there is something o see out of the old town, even if the town has been destroyed during the war (long siege of the serbian army which failed, and pride of croatian people who have resisted, so I hear, without help and heavy weapons...) Consequence : all building, houses, and others seem to be new and the city looks like very young. The historical center has been spared by the shellings, because Serbian didn't want to loose the touristic resource. And everybody take advantage of that ! All the world. There is a lot of people !!! I'm arrived yesterday, during the rush hour : each minute passing made me pass to the last degree of agoraphobia, and I was very happy to retreat into a internet shop.
I came back this morning (Sunday, so, try to follow !). Less people (a bit), and better atmosphere : guards in traditional clothes at the gates, music bands on the place to make people dance and sing a group of spanish tourists (E viiiiva Espana !...), well, very nicer than yesterday. So, I stop to beat about the bush.
It's beautiful !
My camera is not suffiscient, I would need a movie camera. Like in Split, there is the mix of architecture influences, everything is beautiful, well conserved. But contrary to Split, the town is very well organized parallel streets, square places, and it's impossible to loose himself, but what a charm ! The stairs are plenty of plants, flowers, closed ways are clutter up by restaurant tables, monuments are siege by masses... It's a bit hard to explain what I see, but to resume, it's superbe.

Beautiful Dalmatia

2009-02-11T13:41:00.003+01:00

It's too hot, and sometime it's hard to go, I don't know where to sleep, I'm enough about eating muffler all the day, the motors noise is going to make me stupide, but in spite of, there are large compensations.
It's difficult to describe you my daily landscape, but every days, I follow the Dalmatian coast between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., and I see a lot of beautiful things... There are some pictures without orders, taken between Rijeka and Dubrovnik, which will give you, I hope, an idea about my environment (I spare you tarmac and the cars) :

Split

2009-02-11T13:16:00.003+01:00

Waow !

I love this city.
There's nothing to see exept for the old center. But this one worth to stay there a few days ! For a short historical remember, it was the palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletien, which served after that to host local people, and a lot of influences have passed there since this time (Middle Age, Gothic, Italian Rebirth, Baroc, Austrian...) and they have been stacked up without destroy old vestige. The result is a incredible mix where all buildings are muddled. As said in a tourism book : " a rag bag city ? no, a history lesson."
You are lost in two backstreet, you are surprised to see roman arcs entrying directly in the houses, the roman palace columns in a bank, washed clothes hang up between two venitian balcony, and it's a pleasure to fall a second time the same street by accident because there is always another thigs to see

The cathedral is a surprise too : she looks like a roman temple converted as christian one : it's a round bordered by roman columns, with venitian decorations, a latin inscription speaking about the Austrian Emperor, and outside, a tower younger than the main building let dominate this jumble of roofs, terrass, balcony, cut sometimes by some little places, like a forest glade.

OK, I know, it's a bit rough, but I just describe as I see, like the little tourist I am, and I didn't research before writting this message : it's a description "on the spot". So if you want more details, go on internet, or better : come to see it

Some people asked me for a picture :

2009-02-11T12:57:00.002+01:00

So, 2 days after and 75 km farest, I am in Sibenik. Even if the city is less equipated than Zadar, I prefer this one. Same old house high, closed together, but a lot of charm, less tourists, and a real alleyways net and little places very nice : I easily let me go in a little way even I don't know where it's going, just for the pleasure... I first think it's a bag end, and I discover an other alleyway after a few stairs, which drive me until an other one... All the walls are ancient, and for who like it, it's the bargain hunters heaven ! Notice for the picture hunters : there is everywhere on the walls, the churchs, the porchs some little sculptures more or less in good statement, some unusual situations, some stereotype snapshot of local people at the window... And it's sure it would be possible to make a book with all this pictures. There is too a lot of shadow/light games... You have to discover it if you pass there ! Don't miss it !
I stay there on day because of National Holiday -> 14th of July
A good excuse for a good lunch, and a day with no walk. Like this, I've got the time to work on my blog.

Little story

2009-02-11T12:47:00.002+01:00

Realizing my lack of knowledge on Croatia, I have been on Internet to have a stroy playground... and I have found this :
1618-1648
30 years war. During this war, Croatian Cavalry Regiments served in the royal french arm of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. They have paticipated to the victory of Rocroy (1643) and Nördlingen (1645), under the orders of Lord Enghien. They are the source for this occasion of the new fashion in the Versaille society : the tie ! This original accessory of their uniform, which have known after that a mundial success in the occidental male fashion.

Funny, no ?

Zadar, Dalmatia

2009-02-09T13:50:00.004+01:00

I'm now in Zadar. I will stay there a few day, I think (if I can, because I'm always restless). The warmth and some short nights since Vienna have accumulated tiredness, and since 3 days, it's hard to walk more than 7 hours... In this conditions, my inclination is to stop more than I need in all coffe shop I meet to by fresh drink and rest... not serious at all.
Zadar is indeed a beautiful city, and it is worth staying there one day if you can support the tourist mass. Big. In the city center, maybe 9/10 people are tourists : from germany, Slovenia, Austria, Czech, France...
Zadar looks like Mediterranean cities : high houses bording narow street to keep shadow and fresh all the day, so, there is no cars in the historic center.

I was a bit enough of the baroc syle, but now, I can see different buildings : byzantin, Italian rebirth, antic roman remember the old age of the town.

And for the main part, the city seems to not have been destroyed by the war. So, I like the city, and manage to stay there 3 days.
Talking about war, there is at least a few testimonies : on a hill, I have been surprised to see destroyed building and a destryed Tank (like a T-54 or something like that)... War with Serbia
between 1991 and 1996 is not so far.

And sometimes, on the road, I see a sign representaing a man with military uniform and Croatian flag on the back : general Ante Gotovina, presented as a hero of the war.

So, interested, I look for his biography on the web : she's not measure up to the national praise, and this guy would be seeked by the International Penal Tribunal to answer for his actions during the war with Serbia, during the reconquest... According an article of Jean-Arnault Dérens, "The biography of M. Ante Gotovina remember a lot the one of the commandant Arkan, leader of Serbian milices who's got a terrible reputation. Before becoming in the opposit side "Hero" of the war in the years 1990, Arkan had himself too multiplicated criminals acts in Europe, (...). If M. Ante Gotovina is arrested, he will join in the IPT un real club of ancient of the French Legion."
Effectively, this general has both nationality French and Croatian...

The Landscape

2009-02-09T12:28:00.004+01:00

He changed.
Until there, I traveled all over Alpes Mountains, covered by vast fir tree forests, and snow for the highest mountains. And even in Slovenia where mountains are lower, I founded more or less the same geography and flora. No more now. The croatian border ("Hvatska") is a real border for the mediterranean climate too !

Now I see littles mountains and hills (between 200 and 1000 m of high), and no forest anymore : just a few groves, bush, and stones. A landscape dried and burned with the blue see where mountains are falling. It's beautifull. I can see not far the isles of Krk, Prvić, and Rab (orthographe is checked !) which relief color change in the sunrise and sunset.

But it's hard now to find a place to sleep : the ground is sloping everywhere, cover by stones, prickly bush as fir trees ! The best I can do is to go up on a hill closed to a village and look at a wasteland, a free space, a discret place. And there is the temperatur : I have no choice, I have to wake up at 5 a.m. if I want to do more than 20 km in the day. At 8 o'clock,it's too hot. At ten o'clock, I use my second bottle of water. At 12, I am burned and try to stop somewhere in the shadow (bar, restaurant, shadowed place) tu survive until 4 or 5 p.m. Then it's OK. If I start enough early, I can do 25 or 30 km between 6 and 12 co'clock. After, I can walk quietly without reproch myself to have done just 10 or 15 km in the morning... I have to to grow accustomed to this warmth. And I don't speak about my clothes soaed everydays by sweat... next wash will be welcome !

Croatia

2009-02-09T08:32:00.002+01:00

I passed the Croatian border the last day of June, about 11H3O. As expected I don't need any Visa (French citizen) to enter. A simple passport is sufficient. But Slovenian people need one. I will lern later that both people are not realy friends. In truth, on the road going to the borer, I have seen a lot of vehicles from Slovenia Germany, Austria, Powland, etc, but no one from Croatia ! I hear Slovenia vote against the Croatia entry in Europe the last time.
Aftr the border, I stop a few hours in a bar to let pass the heat hours (it's impossible !), and spend the time talking with the Barman who's bored. He talk me about Opatja, a touristic city closed to Rijeka, on the coast. Rijeka, on the other hand, would have no one interest, and would be dangerous during the night, because of the albanian mafia. He give me the adress of a restaurant, and assure me it's possible to sleep everywhere in Croati without problems. I check the distance : I can be in Opatja for the diner if I go now. OK, anyway, I grew impatient to see the sea.
On the road, the change is important : they drive very faster than in Slovenia, and the country is not well holded : savage dumps, tags, mix of old and new houses, old and recent bus : the government seems to not have the financial means of the countries I have visite before. But things seem to change. This impression will be confirmed during the next days. I think Croatia is late, but it's changing quickly, notably thanks to the tourism.

ANd I arrive to Opatja at 7 p.m.. Actually, it's beautifull : a little town with a lot of stairs, back-alley, blacony and pergola, and thee is a lot of charm under the sunset. And full of tourist ! In truth, it's the "Azur Coast" of Croatia, and everything is 10 euros more expensive than in other places, confirme me a couple of french people I met on the front of the sea. And about the restaurnt the barman spoke me of, it's just the best and the more expensive...
So I find again my old good used and move away of the sea to find the nice little restaurant always hide in a tradition little back-alley. Won ! I find my happiness 1 km farest, ask for a Martini and a good diner to celebrate my arriving on the coast. Until there, everything is OK. But I 've come in the city in the evening, as I never used to do, and now, where will I sleep ? Usually, I sleep a few km before the city, and I am sure to have all the day to cross the urban area. But trusting the barman of this morning, I came in the city thinking it was possible to sleep on th beach or something like that... There is no beach. Just some rocks with sharp points. Weather is hot, and everybody is out until midnight. I can't sleep on a public bench, too much people. no public park to sleep under a tree. I try different places : too muh noise, too much wind, nothing good. At 1 a.m. , exceeded to let myself lock up in the town, I get my courage and my bag and start to walk. 5 km laters, I find a discret place , build my tent and sleep 3 hours. It's a bit hard when I wake up at 7 a.m.. And conditions are bad : I'm tired, weather is hot,, I have to cross a big town full of people, noise, cars, there is nothing interesting in Rijeka, and I hardly do 15 km. I stop every hours spending my Kunas (local money) in fresh drinks, coffees, etc...And I have no feeling to walk, today. To crown it all, I discover Rijeka is followed by Dockyards, Oil Refineries, petrol Terminal, Highway access... There is a monster traffic on the road !!! And nothing for walkers, of course.
Advantage : this situation, at the end, make me running away ahead, looking for the exit of this inconfortable situation ! I finaly do quickly the last 10 km until a little village I can see farest on the road. I have my diner there and sleep in the back country. After this day, It will be better. I have taken the mountains road, and then, the traffic going less important, I hve returned on the coast to tae advantage of the landscape. So everything is well. We are the 03rd of July 2008, I am in SENJ, between Rijeka and Zadar, and should arrive there in 4 days.

A little Slovene story before to go

2009-02-07T22:47:00.002+01:00

I left Ljubjana and took full south unitl the Croatian border. I had seen on my map a little mountain road : far of the main traffic axe, with the same distance, with some supplie points until Rijeka on the adriatic coast. So, I'm gone. As planned, I'm not far of the border at the end of the second day. A bit lost, it's true, but it's not important. In fact, the road is a simple way with no tarmac like a simple forest way, and there is no signs to help me. And since one hour, I'm alone in the forest... no more cars since the last intersection... Not important, I continue in the south : a way always arrive somewhere. So, at the evening, I decide to camp in the forest not far of the way.
At midnight, a car wake me up.
Lights, klaxon.
I know the music, so I don't worry -> put out of the bag, looking for my trousers, and go out.
Another klaxon. Yes, OK, I come !
Indeed, it's a police 4x4 patroling in the forest. A woman and a man, youngs, speaking english, ask me what I am doing there, and precise me it's forbidden to stay here. In fact, they worried about me : I am at 3,5 m of the Croatian border (indicated by an old white painted square on a tree : I thought it was a forest mark !), and I risk to pass in Croatia without visa, which is forbidden. And this way is regularely used by illegale people who want to go in Europe. And to finish, the forest is full of wolfs and bears...
I have got 10 minutes to build back my tent.
4,5 minutes later, I am in their car.
Policemen are very nice people, and they dive me until a house where someone could guest me. It's a hearty guy, who let me sleep in the garden (I remember you I disturbed him at 1 a.m. !). I juste take 2 seconds to look at the sky full of stars, and I sleep.
In the morning, it's sunday, but my guest is awake at 8 o'clock for me. This time, take the time for civilities. He's called TONE (say "Tony"), offer me turkish coffee (very good !), and we take the sun and talk together during one hour. He speak me about Slovenia, the forest and bears, his friend Hervé, a french guy, etc... Then, He offer me to take a wash and a glass of a special alcohol he do himself ! a wonder ! And we talk nicely until 10 a.m. Then, he offer me a second glass when I speak about starting, and come back with an empty bottle he fill up and offer me. I know I should refuse it. 1 kg of glass + 1kg of alcohol = too much on my back. And alcohol is not realy compatible with my activity...ottle of alcohol in my bag, and I have enought to go until Istanbul ! If someone ask me, I will say it's for the pharmacy. Service obligation, it's just a formulation...
So I go, to join the main road until the official access of Croatia.

Ljubjana again

2009-02-07T22:33:00.002+01:00

OK, I've got the explanation : there is a lot of tourist, it's true, and the weather is beautiful, but furthermore, yesterday was a national holiday in Slovenia, and the closing day for all universities ! That's why there was so much young people in the center. Add the football match Germany-Turkia for the 1/2 final of UEFA, and everybody was in the center, where coffee shops put a lot of TV screen in the street. Hot atmosphere.
Ljubjana is realy a human-size city, contrary to Vienna : 270 000 people, more or less, a little center, but with good night lighting and beautiful, even I am not fond of Baroc style.

Did I say you why everything is Baroc in Austria and Slovenia ? It's because a long time ago (XVII century), the Ottoman army destroyed everything on her way to put Vienna under siege (Which still have her gothic cathedral because she have resisted). So after the Turkish defeat, they had to rebuild everything ... in the style of the century.

Slovenia and her capital

2009-02-07T22:09:00.002+01:00

So I am in Ljubjana.
To arrive there, I past by the SEEBERGSATTEL pass, and after, full south (if you watch the map on my first post).
I just needed 2 days, because the country is not big. However, As Austria has got a lot of common points with Switzerland, as ther, it's Balkans. Roads are as bad as in the french open country (we are far of the wonderful tarmac I've seen before), and in the mountain, I was surround by 4L and R5, old polos and fiats... -> come back of 10 or 15 years !!!
But once in the capital, it's the western europe.
I'm surprised to see so much tourists there ! And a ot of young people ! Ljubjana is fashion ? In the center, the medium age is about 20-25 years old, I see no one old people. And with the sun, everybody 's got tiny clothes, and it's a true fashion parade. It's very funny for me : I stay in a coffee shop, looking at the people...
Well, I prefer this country instead of Vienna. Otherwise, I will visite tomorrow.

Folowing my way : Ljubjana - Slovenjia

2009-02-07T21:18:00.002+01:00

It's done, I'm arrived in the Slovenian capital ! I needed 10 days to join this town, but Slovenia is a such little country that I won't stay more than 4 days (+1 to visit Ljubjana) before joining the Adriatic coast and Croatia.
No matter during the jorney, I stil walk 8 hours every day / 35 km minimum, and I go, no worry, following little mountain roads to stay quiet. One of the main default of those roads is I can't find a lot of food shop, and sometimes, the road is kidding me going up at the end of the day until the clouds, in the cold and the rain, when I'm tired and have nothing to eat, of course...
But otherwise, it's very nice, and moutains protect me in the morning against the sun so hot since a few days. Sometimes, a storm break at the end of the day : so I wake earlier now (5h, sometimes 4h30 a.m.) to walk in the cool, and do 25 km before to burn (10 a.m.)... After, I stop in the beginning of the afternoon, and let the heat pass until 4 or 5 p.m., and I go again for the last 15 km. It's not bad to walk in the sunset... I still have the daily heat, I take the time to see the sky which is going dark in colors orange, pink, red, and about 8h30 p.m., everybody has come back home and I'm alone one the road... so nice !

On the other hand, if I want to do more than 40 km to go somewhere (like today -> I wanted to arrive in the center of Ljubjana to find a bed), no choice, I have to walk : and I confirm, it's warming !
But this is the game.
And sometimes, there is some "extras" -> I have been invited again to sleep in a house ! Near Graz, in the south of Austria, I met a guy who was interested by my bag. I invite me for a coffee, we talk together, and he ask me where I will sleep this night : fortunately, he live not far of there ! He invites me immediately, and in the evening, after 5 hours of walk, I arrive not far of his home. he watch me on the road, and escort me on the last 2 km. There, he treat me like a king, anticipating everything, wash, washing-machine, drink, diner, good bed, before I ask anything : in fact, he know perfectely what I need because he done the St James Way, and during the 4 months of walk until Spain, he have been guested many times -> he want to give back the hospitality he received, and it's me who profit !

Nice, isn't it ?
A good motivation for the next morning !

Vienna

2009-02-06T19:18:00.002+01:00

Here is some pictures of the city. About the Shönbrunn Castle, it's not bad, but of course, after Versaille, I have to admit the rest of Europe can't follow. However, the Opera and museums are very good. But for me, it's a very big town and the contrast is very important with my usual loneliness : to much people, to muche noise... My legs want to walk, and i think I will go tomorrow.
Futhermore, like in all big cities, people are more... cold, distant, and more rich : I quickly learn to keep my place, my hair and my beard doesn't speak about my social condition...
I am disappointed by the famous "Coffee of Vienna" too, but maybe I'm not in god conditions. It's a large coffee (half coffee/half milk) which take part in a simple tradition : you have your breakfast on a coffee terrace, not at home. It could be nice, of course, but not amazing...

however, I do some interesting meeting : in a coffee, I siet down face to a large window and look at the people in their daily works. A man siet down nearby me and do the same : we talk together and I discover he's american and work for UNO. The conversation is interesting, because we both have a external vision of those people, but a different approach. He know them better than me, living there since 5 years, but can't compare with the rest of the country, the people from littles town and villages

An other time, I spend a nice half an hour tchaching with a woman who's borring in her remember shop : I give her some informations about the alcool "Chartreuse" and how to find it. I support my country's economy !

Arriving in Vienne

2009-02-06T18:51:00.002+01:00

It's done !

After 55 walking days, I'm in the Austrian Capital. I'm arrived yesterday evening at 20 p.m..
I made the prevision to do the Alpes mountains in two months : my previsions was correct. I will not visit the city today. After this good trek, I need a few days to recover my energy, and prepare the trip until Greece.

Awaiting, like usually in big cities, I sleep in a Youth Hostel (Jugenherberge in german). I start to love them : the breakfast is "no limit" (and me to), we find informations on the citiy, and we met a lot of people from everywhere : for example, in Innsbruck, I met a Iranian and we have talked a long time about his country. Today, I met a norvegian and a Serbe who travel in Europe, and tomorrow, who know ?

Hospitality in Austria

2009-02-06T12:06:00.002+01:00

It is possible !
After the dark side, this is the good side of Austrian people.
Everything passed correctly since Innsbruck. I continue to walk 30 or 40 km every days, during 8 or 9 hours, and I go, inexorably. And I slept twice in someone's home -> the first time, I passed in a village and choose to eat in a kebab in a little shop (kebab = cheap, bread + meat + vegetables + hot). The woman there is interested by my bag, and engage the discusion (like everytime, in fact : austrian people don't travel with big bagpacks on the back, and are always surprised). And I discover she's Kurd ! I profit to speak her about my travel and ask her some informations about Turkis weather in winter, the possibility to find a job, etc... She fills enthusiasm about it, and speaks a lot, offers me a turkish tea, and call her neighbourg in the pub closed to the shop : a kurd girl too.
This one is impressed notably when I try to tell her the few words I know in Turkish. When i decide to leave, she stop me : she just called a friend of her and it's decided : I will sleep in his home. I'm surprised, and a bit suspicious, I inform more, but the guy is a very nice farmer living at 10 minutes of there. I will sleep on his sofa, and start again the morning after.

The second time was better : I'm arrived the evening in a little town, and I find a little restaurant (open) and decid to stop there befor looking for a little place to sleep this night. Same screenplay : my bagpack and my head intrigue, we have a talk and this time, I find a family fond of trips and tramps ! The mother traveled in the entire world, and consider me like a friend. And her daughter seems to be like her mother and will not leave the board before midnight. At start, the leader offered me to sleep in the garden, , but during the conversation, she changed her decision : she offer me the dinner, and at the end, I will sleep in a good bed. But before, we will talk about her travels in Yemen.
The next morning, her daughter take over from the mother : she offer me the breakfast and we talk one hour before I leave. She want to follow my travel and ask me for a postal card.

So, this day, I was in good condition to make a new record !

And simplier, there is all the people who just want to cheer me : once, a girl who's got a bar closed to Vorkchdorf, not far of Salzburg, refused I pay my cofee, a second time, a couple in a petrol station in Steyr did the same and offer me 2 chocolate tabs more (You need energy !), with a large smile. And I have to confess I walk longer and better with a large smile like this one in memory than with all the cofee and chocolate of the world !

Moreover, young people are more interested (without too much generalisation) : on the road, it's more young people who greet me , with the hand, the klaxon, or stopping to talk.
-> in Steyr, a young man stop his car and proposed to take me : I refused, of course, but my bag intrigue him, and he's inquisitive. I explain him I come from France and go to Vienne. Not by foot ? Yes by foot, of course ! Waah Super ! (I'm jaded), well, the guy check my hand and go, and I forgot him (I meet this people every day). But 2 km farest, he joined me, by foot, and ask me the autorisation to follow me on a few kilometers : he is enthusiastic and want to learn more. We'll spend half an hour talking together : he's 21 years old, starting his life, he dream about travels, he learn russian to find a job in Moscow... I talk him about my project until Shanghai, why and how : he want to follow me and we exchange ours adress.
A nice guy like i would meet every day.

Passeport, bitte !

2009-02-06T11:11:00.002+01:00

Ah, Austria ! Mountains, bell towers, police and denonciations...

I'm in Austria since 5 days, ansd it's my third control, of which 2 on 3 was because of denonciation !
A pleasure.

For example, last sunday (25th of may), I slept in a wood, closed to the road. I supposed the place quiet. I wake up at 4 o'clock a.m.. About 4h30, I heard a car passing on the little way. 5 minutes later, a second on (the same ?) pass again. Come back from a saturday night party, maybe... But later, I hear something closed to my tent : sheets, broken branchs... I think about a beast passing not far. But the noise is moving closer, and I think that beast could be a two legs one. I wake up completely when I feel him just on the border of my tent. He make the turn and I hear he try to open the door !
Chocked by his bluff, I scream : "Hey ! Need a hand ?"
I can't finish my word : I can hear he's running so fastly that he could run for the next olympic games !!!
I stay awake and vigilant : he could come back. And 5 minutes later, I hear a vehicle and see 2 lights spoting my tent.
OK, I confess I started to worry : I imaginated the screenplay where the other jackass come back with friends or a car to caught me. I know, I have got too much imagination, or I have seen too much movies.
But just in case, I have to go out : I don't want to be surprised. The time for him to manoeuvre his vehicle to place it face to me, I'm out of my sleeping bag, and open the door.
And I take a spot light in the face !
Blinded, I go back in the shadow, and I can distinct two uniforms and rangers shoes.
"Polizei !"
Understood.
The other stupid guy called the police !!!!!!!!!
This idiot was so afraid that he immediately practice his national sport : the denonciation

So, it's 5 a.m., and I'm out for a passport control, completely frozen, in a wood. I protest, but the two policemen are nice and speak english, which make the discusion easier. I lean them my litlle story, but they don't want to know more.
Byebye bobbies !
They go, and I decid to do the same : to much people in this wood. 1 hour later, I'm on the road. During this times, policemen have passed again to verified I was leaving.
I come back on the road, but 300 m farest, an other police car stop me. The guy inside don't speak english, so he call the central office, and this time, I just had to give my name to be peacefull.
However, during the next 2 hours, I've seen 7 police ars (3 times the same). No, no, I'm not watched (I remind we are sunday morning, 8 a.m.)

I know, with my suntan, the beard, fool hair, i've got a beggar head, but I do nothing wrong !!!
It was the same the last time : someone called the police because I had cutted the trainway to not walk 3 km of roundabout. 2 hours later and 10 kilometers farest, bobbies found me again to ask me my passport and give me a fine. I escape the fine explaining my situation and recolt a simple advertising. But it was a public holiday in Austria !!! Do you know french bobbies who would move a public holiday just on a simple denonciation like this, you ?

I start to hate austrian mentality and policemen...

My little record...

2009-02-06T10:52:00.002+01:00

It's done, I have my own little record !

Yesterday, the 25th of May, I started at 6 a.m. (I will tell you why in the next message), and I'm arrived in the Youth Hostel of innsbruck at 21 p.m.
A 15h30 day.
I take off 4 hours of cumulated stops.
So I have walked during 11h30 with my bagpack !
I add a flat ground,, a black cofee at 8 a.m. o'clock, a swinging song in the head, a good physic condition, and a high motivation -> I have walked 5km by hours all the day.

The result is between 55 and 60 km !!!!!!!!!!!
I check on my map : it's OK !

I confess that at the end of the day, I would stop at 50 km, but the hostel was on the other side of the city, and I didn't wat to take the bus, so, I needed 1h30 more to finish.
I'm arrived completely dead, but happy. all the more so this morning, contrary what I thought,, I was not hurt no where...
nice, no ?

Well, I will not do that every day, but I'm relieved about my capacitie to walk.

Austria, Innsbruck

2009-02-06T10:33:00.002+01:00

Innsbruck already !
I know it's not a race, but I'm satisfy to be arrived so quickly : I go fastly, and it's always a pleasure.

So, now, I'm in the Austrians Emperors summer residence : a very beautiful city, with colorated front houses, full of tourists : to visit quietly, it's better to come early. The old city is nice to roam a little, and I visit museums and others cultural places.

But I'm a bit disapointed by the imperial palace : it's in work, we just can visit a half part... however, the chapel with the emperor tomb and his bronz statuary is realy impressive : 3 lines of bronz statues bigger than originals representing his ancestors surround the cenotaph, all represented in their armors or ceremonial dressed... And I have seen the french king Francois Ier !

Describing a normal day (for the moment)

2009-02-06T09:43:00.002+01:00

Birds start to sing, but it's still dark outside. I huddle up in my sleeping bag, I'm very cold. No use to have a look on my clocker, I know it's more or less 5h30 a.m. : at this time, cold and humidity arrived, and I'm going to be frozen during to next two hours. Fortunately, I've got a jumpsuit protecting against cold, so I'm able to survive until the sun arriving, at about 7 o'clock. Breakfast in the sleeping bag (bread, nutela, frozen water), and after that, no choice, I have to dress up... so, now, I run : my cloths, quickly, to not feel damp trousers, damp socks, and I make my bag. And I go out, I remove my tent, and let's go.

Generaly, the 2 first hours pass quickly, without I realize it. Usually, the moring, I look for a supplying point to buy something to eat until the next breakfast (bread, paste, ham...). I still have my bottle of water, the one of the start, and I fill up it to the various springs I meet on my way (each farm as got her own in switzerland), or I go in a bar, or ask for someone.
The lunch is at 12 or 13h, and I try to stay sit down 45 minutes at least. Sometimes, I'm tirred, and the stop can be longer, but it's exceptional. And I start again. It's always harder the afternoon : the time seems to pass slowly, and the closer is the daily destination, the less high is the motivation, and my ankles start to hurt (tendonitis). So, the littles stops are more frequent : 5 minutes there, 5 minutes here... Generally, at the end, I have two hours or more of stop in a 10 or 12 hours day (starting at 8 a.m., arriving about 7 or 8 p.m.). Then I choose a place to camp rough : in a wood, in the open country, but a dicret place, far of houses if I can, where I see no one, and where no one can see me. Quiet.
I build my tent and cook something hot. then, I've got the time to make a note of the days, and sleep about 9h, 9:30 pm.

Switzerland

2008-12-16T10:03:00.002+01:00

Like a postal card...
I walk in the country, between a deep blue sky, white mountains, covered by the last snows, and large green meadows... Quiet, clean air, so nice !
After two pause days, the bagpack seems heavyer than ever, full of stones. I will need two days to get to carry it like before.
Folling the Lake border, I have joined Lausanne in a few days and there, I have met again the Saint James Way. But contrary to the French way, I have met no one or nearly. Alone on the way, as I love. Sleeping in the forest, walking under the sun, in my postal card... so nice.
After Lausanne, I took the way of Friburg and Bern, to visit the capital : there was a lot of people in the city : I was arrived just for a big foot race collecting a lot of runners from everywhere in the world : concerts, parties, decorations in the streets, very nice atmosphere.
Two days after, on the road again !
Direction Interlaken and the both marvelous lakes of Thunes and Brienz : no one turists, sun, mountains and sky reflecting in the water, emerald color.... Wonderful !
After Brienz, for this occasion, I have complete my first 40 kilometers walking during 9 hours in the mountains. I was proud !... and exhausted.
After that, I followed more and more the little roads instead of the St Jame's way : it was more direct, and I wanted to move quickly : I was impatient, and each mountain passed was calling the next, ahead, always in front of me.
I have followed the way passing by Shwyz and Appenzel to join Austria in Feldkirch (north border of Liechtenstein). It was always beautiful, but after two weeks in the same landscape, it's enought : there, everything is beautiluf, clean, and rich... to much. Everything is under control, nothing is natural.

So I was happy, in spite of the rain falling since two days, to arrived in Austria.

In France

2008-12-06T14:21:00.004+01:00

I have started the 17 of April, it was a thursday, the weather was cold, cloudy... But I remember it was full of sun in my head !
Goodbye my parents, goodbye my family, a last look at the turn, and let's go.

I have spend 15 days in France, walking on the National Ways of Hiking : so, I was all the day in the mountains, in the forest, meeting a very few people, in the calm and silent... very nice ! Like holidays, with marvelous landscape.
For the bad side, the bag was too heavy, and during the first 10 days, all my body asked for mercy : muscles, articulations... the time to get used to my new conditions.
At first, there was a lot of rain, and once, I waked up under the snow who had fallen during the night. This weather wasn't for help me, and İ was an beginner (newby ?) in camp rough. Nights was horribly cold between 2H and 8H, time to wake up.
İ have learned to reach every evening for a quiet place in the wood, far of everybody, to not disturb, of course, but above all to not to be disturbing in my retreat !!! I loved this sensation to be far of the world, like in a green desert...
So, every days was the same thing : wake up at 8H (more or less), starting 1 hour later (the time to eat, make the bag, and fold up the tent), and let's go. I walked as a could, until 12 o'clock, tryed to eat a sandwich somewhere at the edge of the way, and started again until 17 or 18 pm...
On the first days, I don't have done more than 20 kilometers per days, but arriving on Geneve, İ was able to walk 30 kilometers without problems.

And I have passed the border of Switzerland the 1st of May 2008

My travel : description

2008-12-04T13:57:00.003+01:00

From France to China by foot...

About 20,000 km between 2008 and 2010, passing by France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, and Turkey until Istanbul. İ pass there the winter, waiting for the sun of March 2009, and I will start again to cross Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan, and Pakistan to join New Delhi in İndia. After that, I will joın China and cross China until Shanghai.

More precisely :

Starting to the village of Borée (south-east of France) I have gone up until Geneve. There, passing by Lausanne, Bern, Interlaken, Schwyz, Appenzell, I have passed in Austria : Feldkirch - Innsbruck - Salzburg - Linz - Vienne. There, I've made a first stop of free days to visit the city and have rest. After, I took the road to the south passing by Graz in direction of Ljubjana, Slovenia. And following th south, I'm arrived in Rijeka, in Croatia. After that, I have followed the Adriatic coast until the south of Greece, passing by Zadar, Sibenic, Split, Bubrovnik, arriving in Montenegro, and after in Albania. 15 days later, I passed le greek border and started my visit of Greece by the city of Ioannina, Preveza, Patra, Olympia, and Kalamatta, at the real south of the country. After that, I took to the north way by Corintia, Athen, Delphe, Thessalonic, and made the turn of the Egee sea until Istanbul. I am arrived there at the start of the autumn, after 6 months and two weeks of travel.

In this city, I have ended the first part (and the easyer, I think) of the three chapters of the trip.

From there, difficulties begin : strict administrations, weather, geography, geopolitic in regions insecurred, full happiness...
Waiting for that, this is my project like it's planned a-priori : Starting from Istanbul, I followe the road passing by Ankara and Erzurum, until Tabriz, in Iran. there, I have to go to Tehran and after Mashad. if everything is OK, I should pass in Turkmenistan and follow the way Mary-Turkmenabat and arrive in Uzbekistan = Bukhara - Navai - Samarcande ! I would stop here to visit, and after, I go up in the Himalaya mountains to join Tadjikistan = Dushanbe.
This is not the most direct road to India, but like this, I will avoid Afghanistan...
In Dushanbe, I take a fly to Islamabad, and in 3 weeks, I can be in India, passing by Lahore. And then, New Delhi.
End of the of second part of my trip.
After, staying in the north part of India, in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, I will take the way passing by Lucknow-Faizabad-Gorakhpur-Patna-Jamalpur-Purnia-Siliguri-Darjiling-Dabgram.
From there, I hope to be able to follow the Bramaputre river until China, but from today, it's difficult to be sure about anything. Another possibility could be to take the south and take a boat for south asia (Laos, Cambodge, Vietnam) and arrive in China by this country. Afer, the shorter way to Shanghai.

End of the travel.

Annoucement

2008-12-04T13:27:00.005+01:00

Hi !

This is my first post on this blog. This new adress is the english version of my first blog (htt://boree-shanghai.blogspot.com), but forgive me : my english is ... not very good, so, be kind with me ! The most important is to understand and to be understood, right ?

What is my travel ? I want to go from France to Shanghai in China by foot, all by foot, but just by foot.
İ have started the 17 of April 2008 in the little village of my parents, Borée, and İ'm arrived the 26 of October in Istanbul, to the Golden Horn.

So why to make an english version of my blog so lately, after 6 months of travel ?

Well, in fact, I didn't thought to make myself so much new friends during my travels, so, İ just have thought to give news to my family and my friends in France. But now, I meet regularely people who want to follow me... and don't speak french !

OK, doesn't matter, now, I will write on both blogs, French and English.
http://boree-shanghai.blogspot.com
http://boree-shanghai-ev.blogspot.com

Never hesitate to ask for more news or details, and to adjust my words : I said you, I'm just a little French with basic language. ;-)

For beginning, I will speak you a little bit more about my travel, and then make you a resume of the first part of my travel, country by country.

Bye