Catching Gaudi

or
Glance to Barcelona via kids eyes

After quite a long time and many tours in homeland, finally we're on track again. This time a conference for my husband in Barcelona and a good time for me and our kid looking for a something interesting and visiting "place to see" all around the city.

The nature museum in a very contemporary building has an amazing room for kids (look for museu Blau).
The Zoo beside the animals also has a live standing queue full of mommies with pushcarts waiting for an hour or more for a dolphin show.
Park Guell is worth a visit with a good view to the city and, worth to mention, as the city itself is full of various playgrounds for kids.
Fundacio Joan Miro was for us, as we're fans of this artist (the mercury fountain by one of the artist friends is a shocking view and experience).
And of course famous Sagrada Familia. Take the advice and pay for your ticket online. Then there is no queue for the entry. Also, you don't have to print it - you may have the ticket on your smart phone. Another advice would be to start the tour from the museum under the church and then have a good look to the interior. It's amazing

p.s. look for a cozy cafe-gallery in the street of  

Beside the drinks it has some tasty easy food for your hungry belly

Changes

or
It's been a long time since my last blog

Life is getting more and more interesting with every day. Since our famous bike trip in Iceland I was not travelling at all. Despite the fact that now I live in Klaipėda - the main port of Lithuania. So this change can be treated as a long journey. Another "long journey" is related to other changes. For those who know there is nothing else to tell, for those who don't the blog is not the right place to talk about.

So coming back to the essence - I'm happy. We're happy. Hopefully you're happy too. Just spend some time with yourself to think about it.

Iceland from the bike

read the whole story in http://islandijanuodviracio.blogspot.com/ (sorry in Lithuanian language only)

Polish Easter

or
Sick climbing

Do you know that pole children on the 2nd Easter day are running with water guns and are allowed to wash anybody? Nice tradition, isn't it? No surprise that the air temperature that day was up to 10°C only. Now I do know that too as I was one of the washed ones in the camping area we've chosen for our climbing Easter weekend in Sokoliki.

I was sick when we left Vilnius and I was sick when we came back, so the trip had no effect on that. I was physically not able to climb a lot, nevertheless I've managed to spend a nice sunny day on a wall doing some nice pretty easy trad routes.

The guys on the contrary were very active with climbing, while I've kept sleeping in a sun beside the wall. One day they have chosen a quite difficult but short boldering route, but it was occupied by two stylish poles who didn't manage to make a move and clip in the 2nd point. Our guys asked for a try and both made it in the 1st attempt. What a disappointment for a poles. On the other day they've chosen a very popular peek with a staircase and the watch platform on the top of the rock, where besides the noisy drunk youth some oldschool guys came for a trad climbing. Their cam stuck almost at the very top and we've challenged our youngster to take it off, because he managed to take one in a similar position a day ago. The old schoolers promised a glass of beer which we have never taken.

Well, the spring in Poland was some 2 weeks behind compared to Lithuania. We had a very nice time and good time away from daily routine as well the feeling 'that the spring is yet to come'

Test drive of new bike

or
Looking for the spring in still winter Samogitia

We've left Vilnius with cars heavily loaded with bikes on Saturday morning and came home late at night (or I should say early in the morning) to Monday. There were 15 persons and our lovely dog in 3 cars.

We've started from a lonely house next to the main road Šiauliai-Kretinga and went directly to the north. Šateikiai has a very nice church, where the Lithuanian master of arts and music Čiurlionis (this year is 100years anniversary of his death) has married his love of the life. Also there is a good looking old wooden manor. In the woods before Šateikiai we went looking for remaining of the soviet missile launcher places, but as they were dismantled, we've found old storage complex hidden in the woods. Well, these two places were the most exciting man created places in the trip.

The rest biking was really exciting in a different way. Still pretty cold weather, frozen lake of Plateliai and fog above it in the morning, cozy cemeteries and plenty of mounds varying in sizes and shapes. Since we had a dog running besides, we replaced paved roads to forgotten paths, crossing flood tided areas and beaver's dams, sometimes going straight through the meadow till the visible gap far away in the woods.

Thanks for Kubas, who organized the trip (he's already the author of one Bicycle travel book, and hopefully soon he'll launch another one); for French guys, who brought some international mood and didn't get cold; and for Samogitia for the amazing hills and dancing Grus grus.


Picture (c) DeGama

Islands as the amber necklace on the Baltic sea

or
I want to ride my bicycle

Did you ever notice that the shape of the Baltic sea reminds a woman on her knees holding Finland on her stretched out hands? So the archipelago of Åland Islands, where we've spent a week on bicycles, are located at the level of the Baltic woman's chest just without the lace to keep them together :)

There were four of us and my little nephew John, who was at the age of 1 year and 2month at that time. He was safely sitting on the back seat behind his dad in a comfortable seat and sleeping most of time while cycling. The rain on the plastic raincoat was only interesting for him, the birds, ferrys, islands and other objects he knew were all entitled by two front letter syllables, sleeping in a tent was just another game, and water was the attraction #1 without possibility to take him out without at any cold. For the rest of the riders it was a really nice trip, another experience, and fun watching the kid putting his first steps ;)

And what about the islands? They are great! The ferries are free of charge for bicycle drivers (except the special bike ferries), the roads are red paved but of good quality, the bolders in the north of the main islands are full or problems and with some good magnesium whiten holds for tracking the routes, people are friendly, and islands are full of "Loppis" - yard sales so to say.. For sure worth a visit on a bike with a boldermat, climbing shoes and a bag of "chalk" ;)

Confesion

or
What's behind the "all-included"

Most probably once in a lifetime everybody must try what is "all-included". This time we've got a trip to the most touristized and hotel occupied gulf of Antalia as a present. All family included too. To my mind - once is more than enough - I've managed to sit 2 days (out of 7) doing nothing as there was nothing to do but to read books (I've finished 2).

What was terrible - the seaside all covered by hotels for "all-included" tourists who do nothing and live moving from one table to another, catching skin cancer while roasting their lazy bodies under the sun, watching crazy 5th grade level entertainment shows, and wasting their time with a glass of cheap alko-drink.

What was nice - that even "all-included" hotels can perfectly fit into nature located in a natural tiny bay with rocks not suitable for climbing, small fishes that gather around the feeding place close to the diving center, cicadas that switch on at 5am and turn off just after the midnight, and all this is surrounded by trees that grow only in flower-pots in the warmest room in dark appartments in non-Mediterranean regions...

In conclusion, please accept my promise never to repeat the "all-included" trip again. Under any circumstances. And anybody who witness me doing so, please remind me, and stop until it's not too late :)

Life in Syria is neverending

or
Mafi mushkila

The foreign affairs ministry of Lithuania recommends not to go to Syria (do you feel the difference between "recommend not to go" and "do not recommend to go" - this powerfull play of words...) Well.. Despite of this there were four (me, Romas, Kuras and Raimis) of us who visited Syria to try a different way of travelling. The minimal set of items for a person included:

• backpack for souvenir back home - total 1 (small)
• additional set of clothes (besides the one you're wearing on) - total 1
• toothbrush - total 1
• wallet with several currencies (Litas included as souvenirs for locals) - total 1
• passport - total 1
• photocamera - by accident it happened so that everybody took one - total 1

The advantages of this are:

• Leave the hotel and go
• Everything you have is always with you
• Don't worry be happy in case you loose it (but this didn't happen luckily)
• And the most important advantage is that you realise how little you need for a living!!!
  

Well, let's go straight to the results:

• Visited airports: Riga International, Istanbul Ataturk and Giazantep International - total 3
• Visited cities: Riga (Latvia), Istanbul (Turkey), Allepo, Palmyra, Tartus, Homs, Damascus (2 days) - total 7
• Visited ruins - Citadel of Allepo, Qal'a Sim'an, Al Bara, Serjilla, Qala‘at Ja‘abar, Rasafa, Qasr-al-Heir-al-Sharqi, Palmyra, Tartus, Arwin island fortress, Krak Des Chevaliers, National museum of Damascus - total 12
• Days spent on a trip - total 10
• Pictures taken - total 180 (plus almost more than a thousand pictures from the rest
  

Would you like to get more statistics? Well, the living is cheap, the prices are low (but you must bargain always and everywhere), people are friendly, weather is fine, and the company is sometimes hungry... I recommend you to go and see it with your eyes. All the stories are worth nothing until you experience them by yourself.

For Katarina (continued)

or
What did i promised for myself

almost a month passed from the last trip to Frankenjura and we basically organized the new one for the midsummers fest (take 2 days off and get a 5 days plus Friday's evening, which always starts early when you're leaving for vacation). Same place, almost the same people, same rocks and new routes.. As i promised myself, i'm training quite a lot.. i need to reach at least my previous climbing level and stop being afraid of the hight. i know i can do it. Let's see the results later..


For you to enjoy - Belgium beere safely hidden in Qze's hybrid car... Niammy...

High Tatry - autumn session

or
Who said you shouldn't come back to the same place twice?

All Saints’ Day is a mixed celebration of Catholic tradition when religious people thank to the Saints of the Church. It is also referred to a pagan custom to honor the souls of the dead. Whatever the reason is, during this weekend majority of Lithuanians is visiting cemeteries and lighting the candles in the memory of those who are no longer with us. Nevertheless, there are some exceptional Lithuanians, who travel some 900 km to visit mountains and share the mountaineering experience with colleagues, new friends, an acquaintance, etc.

This time we traveled the same route as we did during midsummer’s day, only from the opposite direction. To add some value we climb a mountain (Široka veža) and enjoyed the round rainbows around our shadows on the clouds.


(sorry for a bad quality - enjoy the view)

How to spend the winter in summer

or
Holiday destination - Kazakhstan

"The plane from Riga landed in the land with a trees only next to some few rivers", was the first idea that came to my head. First strict bargains for the price of taxi from the airport managed by our new friend Audronė (who currently lives in Almaty) brought us to central Asia life. "We're not going to master this art of bargain during our trip", was my second idea that struck my head that early morning.

We've spent a day in Almaty - a city that starts in steppes, and ends at the foothills on Tian-shan mountains. We've hurried to the mountains of gods (as we were told by the mountain guard Isa) to break the rules of a national park, to try ourselves in difficult situations, to enjoy a good company, to see the Zailyisky Alatau, to travel... We didn't climb the highest mountain in the Northern Tian-shan, but we enjoyed our trip. We didn't reached our main goal, but we discovered something new in ourselves and each other. We didn't see the rainbow, but we were followed by a good weather. We didn't see the famous lake Issyk-kul, but we've spent 13 wonderful days in the place, where we wanted to be. We've properly spend the winter in this summer.

It was strange to see so many people, when we came down the mountains. It was so wet in Chymbulak, when we went for sightseeing there. It was really hot and dry in the Charyn valley, when we organized a small out-of-city tour. It was raining in Riga, when we came back. It was cold in Vilnius, when they brought our lost baggage. It is so good to remember, when I tell the stories for my friends.




Would you like to see something more? Look here. It's called "nowhere". Thank you, Arūnas.

Some interesting facts about Kazakhstan:
- By it's size Kazakhstan is bigger than western Europe
- There is no official religion, nevertheless the majority of people are Muslim
- This is one of the richest countries in world in a sense of minerals found
- The capital of Kazakhstan is Astana (from 1994), which translated from Kazakh language means simple "Capital city". It's a brand new name for a village in the middle of nowhere.
- Almaty, which name means "Grandfather of apples", remains as the southern capital. This historical capital and the largest city in Kazakhstan is still the destination number one. From the steppes in the northwest to the mountains in the southeast.
- The national museum has a whole floor dedicated for the president

Midsummers day in High Tatry

or
There is always a rainbow afterwards

Sun was setting down over the mountain and water was running still down the walls..
Tatry is a mini copy of mountains.. Suitable for any long weekend as well as for training during the winter.. A midsummers day is also OK.. On snow, with crampons, and exercises "how to brake sliding down the ice slope".. Wet! Very wet!! Nevertheless, worth to try.. =)

Nice trip.. Nice company.. Nice "chatas"..
Good food.. Good weather.. Good training..

We should come back here in winter.. For ice walls at least..

I love vacation..

or
Ice climbing Dolomites 2008

I cannot get rid of the feeling that I'm working for holidays.. This time I was in Italy. Some say "again", I say "one more time", but for sure not the last one :)

This time we took an ice climbing course. It was nice to discover a narrow valley close to Sottoguda full of waterfalls all covered by a number of winter climbers. Val gardena for the second day was also nice, but not so impressive. Nevertheless, the two stage waterfall with a warning sign "NO ice climbing" and a constructions place for a new tunnel just below the waterfall improved the situation.

Ice climbing is really hard mentally, because you must trust the crampons and the tools, but not your legs and fingers. It's cold, because the walls are always in the shadow even in the sunny Alps. It's expensive, because of the price of specially designed tools. It's dangerous, because walking on the ice is always risky. It's what I like, but I don't believe I've enough power to make it professionally and lead climb on a winter route. Nevertheless, it's really fun ;)

Well one vacation is over.. It's time to plan another one. For the next independence day. But first, I'd really thank you, guys, for a company, fun, Bologna, sledge riding, good wine, food culture, and many other things. Shortly, thank you guys for a perfect vacation and being with us... I really appreciate it ;)

Honey moon

or
Kam ciotka? (Who is totally satisfied?)

Play with the words - discover smt new.. :)

Three weeks in the Far East of Russia (the peninsula called Kamchatka), in the most romantic place for honey moon - not mine this time :) - with five deeply affected friend and a new born family.. This was a real trial period for tolerance, attitude, friendship, guidance, and resistance for the rain.. This was a good lesson for everybody not excluding myself..

I could tell you how we did it.. I could tell you the facts about the trip.. I could tell you about the experience we gain.. I could tell you about the natural beauty, real danger, and passion to go.. Instead take a look at the picture full of magic, beauty, and mystery.. Instead go there and see everything with own eyes, feel with own heart, get the personal experience and then, please, tell me how was it..

Savaitgalis prasideda vidury savaitės

Keep yourself active..

4dienis: lipimas į kalną ir rogučių slalomas Vipiteno..
Pilnatis ant nusileidimo takelio, draugai stačia galva į pusnį, patikimas vairuotojas už nugaros, skardus juokas ir truputis riksmų..

5dienis: naktinis slidinėjimas Meran 2000..
Dieną slidinėti per šilta - mėnesienoje pats tas.. Tikras LEeeeDAS.. Po kojomis šviečia miesto šviesos, o virš galvos spindi žvaigždės.. Kai greitai leki vos spėji užmesti akį..

6dienis: uolų laipiojimas Truden..
Uolų laipiojimo sezonas atidarytas!!! Pietinė siena tinkama laipioti tik tokiu metu.. Vėliau bus per karšta.. Naudokimės proga.. ;)

7dienis: ledo laipiojimas Lusen..
1-as kartas.. Nerealiai sunku rankoms, bet kaip smaguuuu.. Viršų pasiekti pavyksta tik iš antro karto.. Juokinga, tačiau įkalti ledo įrankio į sieną negaliu, tad naudojuos jau esamais "kabliukais" ir atsargiai už jų kabinuosi.. Oj kaip nestabiliai stoviu ant kojų..
Jau suradau kriokliuką sekančiam pralipimui.. Laukit naujų įspūdžių..

Raigardo slėnio grožybės

Gyvenimo prasmės beieškant

Trys mergos be šuns gūdžiame miške Lietuvos-Baltarusijos pasienyje pamatė Meilės salą prie Druskininkų, nerado Velnio akmens prie Švendubrės, apėjo Raigardo slėnį, paplepėjo su pasieniečiais, pažeidė pasienio įstatymą neturėdamos dokumentų ir neleistinoj vietoj degindamos laužus, gerai praleido laiką, išsimiegojo iki 12-tos, aplankė Naujasodžio raižinių sodybą ir sėkmingai grįžo namo per dvi dienas pėsčiomis įveikusios apie 35km, Renomobiliu daugiau nei 260km.. Puikus buvo žygis, gerai, kad jūsų ten ir nebuvo.. :)

Why do you drink and drive, when you can smoke and fly

Törggelen arba Yeti pėdsakais
Du pirmus rudens mėnesius vyksta Törggelen - Tirolietiška tradicija pradėti rudenį keptais kaštonais ir jaunu vynu kažkur tarp kalnų gražioje tradicinėje sodyboje su geriausiais draugais.. Vėliau ją galima pratęsti smagiu rytmetiniu pasivaikščiojimu po per naktį apsnigtus kalnus.. Hmm.. Taip mes ir padarėm.. Šviežus saulėje sparčiai tirpstantis sniegas, geri draugai pasiryžę padėti ar apmėtyti gniūžtėmis, po sniegu pasislėpęs pažymėtas takelis ir nuostabūs vaizdai į rudenėjančias Alpes.. Ir visa tai vos vienos dienos pasivaikščiojime po Val di Fundres..

Europos ir Azijos siena Uralas

Trys dienos traukiniu.. Trys dienos laukimo.. Trys dienos čiuožimo iki kalnų..
Sniegas batuose.. Sniegas kuprinėj.. Sniegas palapinėj..
O kartu -40, snieguoti kalnai, geri draugai, nauji įspūdžiai, daug juoko ir šildančių šypsenų..

Neatrastas žemės rojus

Šiaurės Italija

Užstrigau nuostabiame slėnyje.. Čia viskas savaip gražu.. Kaskart pavasaris susuka galvą atšilusiu oru, nenumaldomu noru, draugo šypsena ir geru žodžiu.. Suvilioja ir palieka po savęs palikdamas vitaminų stoką, ilgesį, jausmą, kad kažko vėl netekau.. O taip noriu vėl atrasti..