20.07.2024
End of July, 1979. 45 (!!!) years ago, my first trip to the Tatra Mountains. Two high-school friends and I spent a week hiking, eating mostly shit, and sleeping on the floor in insanely crowded mountain huts. We loved it. I was already a very experienced hiker but it was the first time in my life that I saw people rock climbing ...and that's how it all started, lol.
Andrzej
08.07.2024
Regardless of season or time of day, the views from our terrace are spectacular. Life is all about choices, as I'm fond of saying. We downsized to a much smaller apartment, but the tradeoff makes it very much worthwhile. Anytime I feel like I wish we had a bigger/nicer place, all I have to do is lift my head, look at this view, and think about where we came from and where we are now. Life is good.
Shona
26.06.2024
One of the biggest architectural attractions of the city of Liege, in Belgium, is the Guillemins Railway Station. From Wiki: At the end of the 20th century, high-speed trains were introduced, requiring a new station since the existing platforms were too small. The new station, by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, was officially opened on 18 September 2009. The new station is made of steel, glass and white concrete. It includes a monumental arch, 160 metres long and 32 metres high. The building costs were €312 million.
Andrzej
21.06.2024
Anyone looking for the modern side of Luxembourg City should visit Kirchberg. Kirchberg is a district in the north-eastern part of the city, connected to the historical city center, Ville Haute, by the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge, which spans the Pfaffenthal valley. It is the predominant location of the European Union institutions based within Luxembourg, and it's also the business and cultural hub of the country. The Philharmonie building and the Mudam Museum of Modern Art are a must for every architecture and modern art aficionado.
Andrzej
16.06.2024
Maybe not in the best shape, damn rain, slippery cobblestones, pain in the knee, thousands of people crowding you, WTF am I doing here? Thoughts in your head as you run (you know, usual stuff, lol) but I’m happy to announce that the second leg of my 3x100 challenge is done.
I took part (along with over 10 thousand other individuals who had nothing better to do on a Saturday night but run in the rain) in the X Night Half-marathon in Wrocław, and it was my long distance run number 100! Yay!
Andrzej
14.06.2024
Sightseeing in France is very easy, there is something interesting to see around almost every corner. Chateaux are a huge, picturesque magnets for domestic and foreign tourists alike, and the are plenty of them. Below is a short description of two of them I had the chance to see and admire a couple of weeks ago.
(From Wiki): The Chateau de Chenonceau is spanning the river Cher, near the small village of Chenonceaux. It is one of the best-known chateaux of the Loire Valley. The current chateau was built in 1514–1522 on the foundations of an old mill and was later extended to span the river. Other than the Royal Palace of Versailles, it is the most visited chateau in France.
(From Wiki): The Chateau de Chambord is one of the most recognisable chateaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture, which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures. The building was constructed by the king of France, Francis I. Chambord is the largest chateau in the Loire Valley. It was built to serve as a hunting lodge for Francis I (good to be king!).
Andrzej
10.06.2024
The last stop on our recent Portuguese trip was the town of Mafra, specifically The Palace of Mafra, a monumental Baroque and Neoclassical palace-monastery, the largest royal palace in Portugal.
The palace was built during the reign of King John V (1717–1750) and was a secondary residence for the royal family. The construction was funded in large part by gold and diamonds from Colonial Brazil.
In addition to the interesting tour of the castle, it's basilica and the library (30 000 rare books), we stumbled onto the 49th International Porsche 356 Meeting held by the Porsche Club, in the front of the palace, with over 200 owners from all over the world presenting their beautifully preserved iconic machines.
Andrzej
05.06.2024
Having a car when you travel to Lisbon is really nice, as you're able to see a lot more of the surrounding areas and at your own pace. There is public transportation to places like Sintra and Cascais but you're limited in terms of timing and frequency. The downside to driving is, of course, parking, but there was no problem at the Boca do Inferno, in Cascais (Mouth of Hell), or Cabo da Roca, which is the furthest western point on continental Europe. Sintra was a bit more of an issue so if you have a chance to take a tour there or public transportation it's probably worth it.
The best time to go see the Boca do Inferno, in Cascais, is when it's windy so you can see the waves coming through. When we were there it was very calm but it was still beautiful and there's a nice walking path along the cliffs so you can park further away and enjoy the spectacular views.
Sintra is just a big, old tourist trap, in our opinion. There are some nice, colourful buildings, and you can see some beautiful azulejos (ceramic tiles) but there are just way too many people. I really can't imagine what it's like during the high season. We didn't even bother going to see Pena Palace as there were so many people we would have had to wait too long for a bus, and it's no longer possible to drive to the park entrance. I've seen it before though, before it was renovated, and actually think it was nicer back then, more traditional. There are ton of TukTuks though, waiting to drive you wherever you want to go and I would definitely recommend that if you're determined to see everything. If you want to see everything on foot, I would suggest spending a night or 2 in town as there's probably too much for one day.
Cabo da Roca at sunset is well worth the drive and braving the masses there to see the lighthouse and the marker of the most western point of the continent. We got there quite early, in order to check out a beach at the bottom of the cliffs, Praia da Ursa. We didn't take the path down as it's rather steep and my knees are not up to the task but there were quite a few people making their way back up (just make sure you have proper shoes for this as it's a bit of a hike). If you're up for it, I would definitely recommend doing it, the beach looked amazing. We didn't have the best sunset but it was still beautiful. If you're in the area for a few days, I would suggest going a couple of times as it can be very different from one evening to the next.
Shona
18.05.2024
We decided it was high time for a road trip and headed west to Portugal, specifically the Lisbon area. Though it was Andrzej’s first time, I was there many, many (MANY) moons ago so it was interesting to see what had changed and what had not.
Lisbon is a densely packed, hilly (like, really hilly!) city which sits at the mouth of the Tagus river and is very close to some amazing beaches on the Atlantic ocean. The city has retained much of its old world charm though, I have to say, it is much dirtier and run-down than it was so many years ago, and there are a lot of homeless people and vagrants, not unlike many other major European cities these days. The amount of tourists was staggering, and it’s not even high season yet, so I cannot imagine going there in the summer (and wouldn’t recommend it).
I absolutely love Portugal, though, and even in this crowded, touristy capital, the people are super friendly. We had amazing weather and enjoyed wandering around the city on foot, as well as exploring the surrounding towns by car. The best thing to do in the city proper, in our opinion, is just wander around and try to stay away from the hordes (or visit in the off-season), there’s plenty to catch your eye when you stop following a map. And don't forget to try their famous Pasteis de nata (custard tart) - sooo good, especially when served warm!
Shona
14.05.2024
The first stop on our recent Portuguese trip was the city of Evora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From Wiki: Evora is the capital of south-central Alentejo region. In the city's historic center stands the ancient Roman Temple of Evora (also called the Temple of Diana). Nearby, whitewashed houses surround the Cathedral of Evora, a massive Gothic structure begun in the 12th century. The Igreja de Sao Francisco features Gothic and baroque architecture along with the skeleton-adorned Chapel of Bones.
Andrzej
26.03.2024
The waking dream ...from sunrise to sunset to moonrise. Every day is a gift.
Shona
17.03.2024
The first run of 2024, the 9th Media Maraton Ciudad de Algeciras, in Spain. Unfortunately, a very hot day.
I barely made it.
My time: 02h, 15m, 00s.
Andrzej
13.03.2024
"13.03.2020: Lockdown Day 1 - making the best of a bad situation ...I guess there are worse places to be stuck at home."
Wow, 4 years ago, today, the lockdown began, in Spain. We were told 2 weeks. For the most part, we were pretty Zen about the whole thing, treating it kind of like a staycation. Oh, how naïve we were! In reality, people were kept in their homes for 7 weeks, not even allowed to go outside for a walk. We weren’t even allowed to take our dog more than 100m from the building. Looking back, now, it all seems so surreal but we will certainly never forget the absurdity of the whole thing.
Shona
16.02.2024
30 years ago! Mexico City - 1994. My first exotic journey and I was thrilled. The city was amazing, vibrant, colorful and chaotic. Probably one of the most fascinating places in the world. The energy, the history, the culture, the people. I loved it!!!
Andrzej
21.01.2024
The last brave bloom ...in denial ...fighting against the frost ...struggling with its own intrinsic nature.
Buds longing to open even as winter's sleep beckons.
Beauty everywhere we look ...if only we open our eyes.
Shona
07.01.2024
I got some exciting news from the Sudetes Mountaineering Club in Jelenia Góra, which I'm a member of. First, one of my pictures from Dolomites made it to the new calendar published by the club. Second, I was amongst the group of club members awarded a trophy for “Mountaineering Achievements in 2023". In my case, the award was for finalizing the "38 x 3 000 m" project in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, in Spain. Nice!
The announcement and the account of the award ceremony, during the club xmas party, on
SMC website (in Polish).
Andrzej
