vrijdag 10 juli 2015

Last stage

Yesterday afternoon and tonight I had the most severe thunderstorm ever, whilst staying in my tent. After 33 years it proved not to be 100% water-resisting. But definitively still enough, to have some sleep at least. 
From Brasov this morning I took the 'alternative' road to Ploiesti. Had to cross a pass of 1270m. But the track was fairly easy. So I arrived finally already pretty close to the AirPort. Just some 3 hours left for tomorrow. Yet my flight is at 18.00h. 
Checked in in a somewhat run down motel. But they have balconies. An opportunaty to dry out all my wet stuff!

donderdag 9 juli 2015

Nomadic Village

Ending my pilgrimage from Medjugorje to Csiksomlyo/Miercurea Ciuc meant staying some days in the Nomadic Village itself, as they were hosting my project, so to say. 
So after a first encounter with Tina and Klaus in Sighisoara, I set up my tent for the last few days in the 'village' now based on the hills just outside of Brasov. And here we found time and space to share our thoughts on Nomadism, creativity, art-projects and other smaller issues that can occur in our lives. 
For me it was a time to rest a bit phisically, but at the same time my head and heart continued full speed developing new ideas for art-works and collecting some basic materials for them as well. 
And now that I'm almoast at the end of the line here, I must say that I'm also looking forward returning to my studio and completing my contribution to the Nomadic Village in a different way, by making pieces for their Gallery Nowhere. Allthough the track up to here -espescially at first- felt quite rough by times, arriving on these hills in Romania and settling in in the Village feels indeed as Klaus said: "Home sweet home!"

zondag 5 juli 2015

Csiksomlyo/Miercurea Ciuc

Finally today I made it to the sacred place at the holy church in Csiksomlyo/Miercurea Ciuc. An area in central Romania that seems completely Hungarian, orogin of the Székler people, etnically not Hungarians but since they moved in centuries ago in Hungarian territory, it has become their mother tongue. As my father quotes a book on Hungarian history: the Székler made part of "den Kriegsdienst leistenden östlichen Gruppen"; that they "von jeher ungarisch sprachen, ihre Sonderstellung und türkische Gesellschaftsstruktur bis in die Neuzeit hinein bewahrten." And the tolerant attitude of the Hungarian state towards them was "im wesentlichen das Erbe der Reiternomadenkultur" 
In WO II Nazi Germany returned this part of Transsylvania to Hungary. 

And thus ending my 'official' contribution to the 'Nomadic village' project. But this is of course merely a beginning. Now I have to start to work out all the rough material I have. Edit all the footage I took. And turn it into something nice and interesting!
It was a fascinating, sometimes extensive and sometimes overwhelming trip. Some 1500 km from Medjugorje to here in 13,5 days. Making it an average of 111 km a day. Regardless the roads or the terrain. 
But the trip is not completely over yet as the plan is to rejoin the core-group of 'Nomadic Village' tomorrow at Brasov and continue to exchange concepts and working plans. As we started out yesterday in Sighisoara. 

zaterdag 4 juli 2015

Sighisoara

After two days of very extensive cycling I arrived yesterday at the beatiful town of Sighisoara. Which belongs obvious to the world heritage. But also the road up to here was very beautiful first the stunning Transfăgărășan with 25 km of hair pin curves. And later all the nice small villages of Transsylvania I cycled through. 
Finally caught up this morning with Klaus an Tina from the 'Nomadic Village' group. 

dinsdag 30 juni 2015

Targa Jiu.

After a start yesterday in Romania with an extensive and very bumpy road (where my bycicle again got seriously damaged. I managed to get myself back on the main track. Naturally wise not as spectacular. But got where I wan't to be. In Targa Jui. To admire some of the very special sculptures of one of my favourite sculpters, constantin brancusi. Who originates from this area. 
Meanwhile my bike got a serious update. 
And I tried to score anything for dinner. 
Where the city looks very outgoing. It's all about drink's. The max you find is some fast-food. 

zaterdag 27 juni 2015

Getting drunk with serbians.

Finally it had to happen. Arrived this afternoon after the most spectacular bycicle trip, through the 'iron gate' in a village, close to Kladovo. Installed myself on the local campingsite (for free) connected to a restaurant. So where can I order my dinner? All together about 8€ beer included. 
A Guy at the bar was celibrating his birthday. Took me into town to hang out with his friends. So go a little drunk there. But finally got the real feel of being into Serbia today!!

donderdag 25 juni 2015

Reunited with the Danube

Made it to the Danube river today. On purpose I avoided the metropole called Belgrade. It is a charming city, which I visited a few times whith pleasure. Even had an exhibition there, a decade ago. Titled 'putevi' or 'roads'. Still my theme, so to say! Since then I I visited a lot of places along the Danube. Turned the river and my experiences along it into an art-project, called 'potamos'. But still there are places undiscovered. Like the city of Smeredovo, where i'm today. 
And as before, I'm surprised again about the combination of a run-down city, next to such a beautiful river. And the same combination of all these old 'communist' constructions falling apart and all the friendly people, walking out on the streats around sunset. Happy. 

In a supermarket today I communicated with the shop-keeper. In my broken serbian (I just mix my knowledge of czech an russian and hope for the best) He guessed that I came from Belarus. Is this a compliment?

woensdag 24 juni 2015

On the River bank Sawa

Close to Belgrade I installed myself in a hostel next to the river Sawa. After a 130 km journey.  In the Vojvodinia, a region as flat as the Netherlands. And with all the rain today I could have felt at home. Got completely soaked. But on the still on the road. Na putu, as they say. 

dinsdag 23 juni 2015

A room with a view.

 Arrived in Serbia. Loznica. Booked in a local hotel near a spa resort. My room is overlooking a small park, where you can buy little souvenirs and where the locals have their evening walks. The hotel itself is a clear remain of 70/80 communist architecture. As there is so much in these countries. For me it is as much distant as it has become familiar. 
From now on the language and all signs are in cyrillic. Good that I did a one
year russian course once. Not to understand. But at least I can read the roadsignes. Helps me to get to Беoград
Today I stopped at a garage in Bosnia, because my Luggage carrier broke on two spots. The Guy welded it for me and didn't charge anything. Then you really realise you're on a pelgrimage. 😆

maandag 22 juni 2015

Somewhere on the road in Bosnia.

This morning I left Sarajevo. But not after paying the old Centre a visit. 
Then I got into some issues again. First my navigation app. sent me again up into impossible hilltracks. 25% or more uphill. You don't even do that on a mountainbike, without luggage. 
I tried walking. But just to find myself lost on an impossible track. 
Went back to the old town. And started all over. 
On my way to Serbia. And I sleep somewhere in the middle of the road. Above a gass station. 

zondag 21 juni 2015

Sarajevo

Yesterday I arrived at Sarajevo. Well just before the old town. A long road from Mostar. Mostly uphill. 
For the first time my navigation let me down. Starting in Mostar it sent me up streets climbing a 25% ending on a dirt track. So I took the main road. With of course much more traffic. But at least no potholes. And, best of all, at every few kilometers stalls where you can by fresh fruit and slivovice. 

zaterdag 20 juni 2015

Mostar

Where as so far my journey into herzegovinia was very much under influence of croatians, Mostar has the border within. Part of the city still croatian. Part dominated by mosques. And alluhu-aqbar. 
But anyway, like Dubrovnik, one gets the feel it's a place for the young and beautiful to visit.....

Medjugorje

Yesterday after a long sweating day, I arrived in the holy place in Bosnia. 
Finally I can add another country to my list of all the ones I visited. Heading for 50 now...
But the question is: when do you have been in a country? I could say, like yesterday, after a good cup of coffee. 
Some people count an AirPort (that is too easy) some a serious visit to the toilet (also a way one can look at it). But, like most, I keep it to have at least spent one night.

This morning I payed a visit to the sacred church. But without offence, it didn't impress me at all. Not because i'm not religious. I liked pilgrims places like Lourdes and Santiago. Was impressed by the devotion I experienced at taj mahal. 
But maybe here you have to be italian or polish to understand. Because those ones are mainly here. 

donderdag 18 juni 2015

Finally, my baby arrived

I didn't believe in it anymore. But finally my dear travel compagnon arrived today. Totally sane and ready to go!
And so am I. 
And there is always to say a lot about the working attitude in Mediterranian countries. Not that I fully agree. Because often I've seen people working hard
In temperatures here, where nobody in the north would manage...
As the Mediterranian also concerns Croatia, just one thing. The AirPort staff didn't always made up their promises exactly. 
But today they said to deliver my bike between 18 and 19 Pm. 
The guy was here at 18.30. Sharp !
Hello europe😆

woensdag 17 juni 2015

Stuck in Dubrovnik

For the forth day in a row, i'm stuck in Dubrovnik. Me i'm a bit of a globetrotter. I spent 19 hours on Nairobi AirPort. Being locked out of the restaurant late at night. Just to find the waiters sleeping on the couches once they had to re-open for breakfast. 
Or Indonesia where I waited hours and hours for the bus company of my choice to Java. Just to find that the opposing line that left hours before us (on time) had ended upside down in the bush. Or in India where our tourist bus had a hold of hours, in the middle of the night. We all got kicked out and had to wait because the driver had some 'small business' to arrange in the nearby village. 
Or Mali, when I arrived at 5am instead of 5pm the previous day in Mopti. Spending half of the night aside the bus, when the driver disappeared looking for a spare-part.
Or Bolivia where we had to wait half a day or so for the bus, crossing a flooded river, where there was no bridge. 

But that was just third world. A 24h delay at max. Now i'm in the Western world, the EC. And yes, they can do better! Of course! A 72hour delay, to start with. With special thanks to easyJet who isn't capable to handle a bycicle on their plane for a few times in a row now. 
 


And According to lonely planet (they're not always right 😆) Dubrovnik is a great place to be. That's right. So I found out with my ex- partner years ago. But one week was definitivaly enough 

"Regardless of whether you are visiting Dubrovnik for the first time or the hundredth, the sense of awe never fails to descend when you set eyes on the beauty of the old town. Indeed it’s hard to imagine anyone becoming jaded by the city’s marble streets, baroque buildings and the endless shimmer of the Adriatic, or failing to be inspired by a walk along the ancient city walls that have protected a civilised, sophisticated republic for centuries." LP

dinsdag 16 juni 2015

Basecamp Dubrovnik

After a long search my bycicle has been found. Still in Amsterdam. And hopefully on it's way tomorrow. 
Some struggle belongs to a Nomadic journey, which you undertake, espescially when your out on your own. I hope just not to encounter too many of these. 

zondag 14 juni 2015

'Basecamp' Dubrovnik

On my way to my starting point in Mudugorje I landed today in Dubrovnilk. A charming small holiday town on the adriatic coast. One can imagine worst places to get stuck. 
This because my bycicle diidn't arrive with me. I'll have to postpone my official start for a while. Hanging out like a tourist. 

dinsdag 9 juni 2015

preparing to go.

In a few days from now, I will hit the road again for my next pilgrimage-based Art Project.
This time it will take me across the Balkan. From Međugorje in Bosnia to Csíksomlyó/Mircureia Ciucn in Rumania.
All this together with my good old frien, my bycicle. I hope to meet a lot of people on the road and to discuss with them the concept of pilgrimages, holy places and religion in these days.
Apart from that I'm looking forward to hook up with my friends from the "Nomadic Village" somewhere in southern Rumania, who have there own interpertration of being on the road and creating art meanwhile.