sábado, fevereiro 02, 2008

As cores da India


Saí do aviao, à primeira inspiraçao o odor intenso nao sabia bem de que, aquele a que chamamos frequentemente odor de monhé, entrou-me pelas narinas e a cada inevitavel sucessiva inspiraçao o odor era diferente. Os primeiros dias foram assim, cada sitio um odor.
Bombaim é, sem qualquer duvida, cansativo. Duas horas nas ruas, no meio do transito, mercados ou ate mesmo na estaçao decomboios e a necessidade de uma hora de sono era inevitavel. A convivencia com a extrema pobreza, uma realidade que nem da janela do quarto de hotel nos podemos abster. Fecho a janela, vou dormir. É verdade, estou na India…e para ficar!

Na primeira noite em Bombaim tivemos de fazer logo planos para o sítio seguinte. Apesar do conhecimento geral de que os guias sao so para tirar o essencial la nos decidimos a atravessar a India em busca do campo, montanhas e paz, “Oh por favor, sai um byriani de sossego e um Lassi de ar puro!” dado que nos esperavam 30 horas decomboio decidimos fazer uma pausanuma cidade conhecida como ”a cidade das Perolas”: Hyderabad.

Ai, ai Hyderabad... viemos a saber depois, que esta cidade com 5 milhoes de habitantes e simplesmente a cidade com o transito mais violento e ocupado…e bem se em Bombaim ja nao podiamos com o barulho e o lixoem Hyderabad comecei a perder a esperança…uma noite foi suficiente.

O que? Uma fila para tirar um impresso, umafila para entregar o impresso, ah ok aqui é só para comprar bilhetes, se quero reservar tenho de ir ali... e se quiser comprar? Nao posso? Tenho de reservar primeiro…………………….. ”nei hindi” english?

Finalmente chegamos a Araku Valley, uma vilazinha no meio das montanhas junto a uma area de tribos. Claro que nao chegamos sem peripecias… conhecemosunstipos no comboio que nos disseram para sair numa estacao onde percebemos, tarde de mais, que nao era araku… e claro como so ha um comboio por dia ou voltavamos para tras ou iamos de carro e a pagar uma fortuna……………………… foi um filme mas la conseguimos um desnecessario bom preço ate ao nosso hotel. Encontramos a paz e a genuinidade dos indianos neste vale.

Passados 3 dias resolvemos ir visitar outra parte desta zona tribal mas claro o contraste com araku fez-nos ficar decepcionados dsde a primeira noite. Apanhámos um dos unicos dois Auto-rickshaws da cidade( todos os outros sao velhinhosindianos que carregam as pessoas em bicicletaspor uns meros 20 ou 30 centimos) e fomos visitar umas cascatas engraçadas mas para ser honesta para mim foi mais para ir-me embora daquele sitio deconsciencia tranquila J

E foi entao que a caminho de Puri, por acaso, descobrimos Koraput, diria eu, a cidade dos joalheiros. Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh J
Aqui, alugámos um quarto por dois euros, sem chuveiro mascom TV e das grandes! As paredesdo quarto estavam cobertascom desenhos de flamingos em tom de verde queauma primeira vista tinham a perfeiçao depapel de parede mas rápido percebi que eram pintados a mao e oh, quando apagámos aluz aprimeira vez, o tecto estava cheio de estrelas ecometas brilhantes e nao…nao eram aquelas da natura que compramos mas feitas a mao! O hotel era tipo uma residencia de estudantes pelo que atribuo as qualidades artisticas aalguem que habitou auele quarto por muito tempo.

E dificil descansar aqui… em todo o lado vilas, cidades, campo as pessoas sao super barulhentas,o transito incrivel, buzinam, gritam, televisao as 6 da matina aos altos berros… nao tem sido facil…

Agora estamos em Puri, uma cidade bonita mas turistica. Estamos a ter a nossa primeira experiencia com couchsurfing na India. Amanha à noite vamos para Calcutá (nao me apetecia nada mas tem de ser).

Para quem já nao aguentava Lisboa, a India esta a revelar-se uma decepçao tremenda a nível social…é monstruoso o que se ve aqui. A maneira como se tratam os animais, as mulheres, as crianças, pessoas de castas inferiores e ate mesmo nos turistas que se nao nos pomos a pau nao sentimos nada de genuine.

Falarei disto numa outra ocasiao.

Apesar de tudo, ha umacoisa que adoro na India: as suas cores.

beijos como daqui ate ai.

Soon I'll translate this post to english.

sábado, março 03, 2007

Warzsawa, Warzsawa


Thanks Warsaw,

thanks for hosting me in my last days,

thanks for giving me space to heal of this amazing and atribulated trip I made,

thanks for giving me space for my emotional eruptions about going back home,

thanks for understanding and hold me when I most needed it,

thanks for let me feel you...

In reply to so many gifts I leave you my heart... I hope it will be enough.

moon

sábado, fevereiro 24, 2007

Warsaw or Krakow?

Well...never wanted to admit that my short time in Sarajevo had for reason more that be tiered and without money but inside I knew that there was a soul I wanted to know better waiting for me (or not)...

The question now was head directly to Warsaw and spend more time there or make my last stop in Krakow... I had one day trip in front and time to think :)

Its funny...when we are travelling time has a different meaning...we never think that something that is waiting for us can change in one or two weeks because we are the ones who are changing! every minute we feel or think something different and even if it comes to our head that things really can change...doesn't matter...the world is the only thing that matters.

Alone, like always, facing controllers and bribe them seamed something bigger :) however everything was easy until Budapest where I paid almost nothing to get to...too easy...more than it should be...

One day in Budapest :) Sunday, nothing to do almost, I thought it was a good opportunity to review a city that brings me so beautiful memories...

drooped in side one cybercafe...kind of illegal one and asked one black completely stoned guy if he could watch my bag for a while than I would not have to carry :) playing with fire...brave Tânia is always playing with fire...

Budapest was still...gorgeous :) a kind of medieval market near to the river was good to spend time. After a good lunch I went back to my backpack that was still in the same place and went to train station to see the best option to get to Poland: where I could exchange my money finaly!!

information office, backpack in the floor behind me for two minutes...asked some information an looked back to pick my backpack...was not there anymore...can it be real? am I dreaming? no, no, no not to lucky Tania...can not be happening...but it is! hot summer made me be travelling with a scarf around my body almost only... there I was without backpack...

Ai...30 euros in my pocket, cards still not working... direct ticket was much more expensive...my backpack...runed everywhere with and without police...anything :( still my documents with me...very very lucky :) positive side of course :)

jumped inside a train without ticket expecting my trip to Slovakia to be as easy as my trip down but of course wasn't. in 200 km three controllers came to me and my lucky was the police paper, in Hungarian, proving I was robed...almost could not bribe them...hard ones :( near to Slovakian border a storm begun and controller was saying that they would put me out because I had no ticket and was not possible to by it in train... a nice young lady wanted me to go out of the train with her before the borther and leave me in the buses but somehow I had the feeling that if I would jump out I would never get to Poland...

crossed the border between thunders and rain...almost no clothes in my body I almost praied...the controller came asked for a ticket and when I said I had not the ticket but I wanted to buy it...it was so simple as print a automatic ticket and for 5 euros I crossed all Slovakia...will never forget the feeling...was everything so simple :)

I could sleep finally :) even if I had no money to go to Krakow to exchange my Estonian croons they could put me out wherever they wanted...I was in Poland already :D

and until Krakow was everything quit :)

the first thing I Donne in Krakow was exchange money and buy a ticket in the first train to Warsaw...after this terrible experience all I wanted was see kuba's face...a familiar face :)

three or four days without shower, sleep, without bag I took the expensievest train to Warsaw...I couldn't talk, think...anything...was the longest day of my life...

8pm...kuba is waiting or I am waiting...for something that for sure will change my life...how? I don't know...I don't care...but definitely will change my life!

Tania da lua

Last stop: Srajevo

Early morning said good bye to Mostar and started my train journey to Sarajevo. I was very glad I could head to Sarajevo by train ones that from Belgrade was not possible. Many people were waiting for the first of two daily trains, jumped inside and took a free place in a compartment where only one boy was sat, two minutes later the compartment was invaded by 6 or 7 people more.. we started talking and when I said I was Portuguese one of the boys started talking Portuguese with me...A Bosnian boy what made it seams even more weired! well short story: war times, his mother best friend was a Portuguese lady who's husband was a militar. Grow up playing with Portuguese kids and even was in Portugal for vacations...never forgot the language and even had some Portuguese's music in his laptop... what a lovely journey between beautiful landscape and friendly locals that tough me a lot about Bosnian feelings and concepts...

It seamed to me that was only the time of closing and open my eyes and the train arrived in Sarajevo. Alone again, was time to discover the town.

Gorgeous Sarajevo full of ethnic details, lovely people and very very hot... was the main idea I got about it!

Very tiered of my short but deep trip I needed to take a rest.

Needed money...went to ATM machine, something was wrong no one of my cards was working and of course Estonian croons was not accepted...maybe some pontual reason but my feeling keep telling me was not only that...something was happening and be without money in sarajevo was only the beginning.

Sarajevo brought me specially feelings...almost all the time alone just in the end I sat in a cafeteria where the lady saw how tiered I was and even older her English was enough to make me feel comfortable and invite me to go under water she was using to water the plants. Such feelings made feel like come back ones to know more about this city and people...one day :)

sábado, fevereiro 03, 2007

Mostar: walking in a painting...

Very tiered, sleepy, 12 hours inside of a night bus and after cross beautiful mountains with a strong sun in my eyes I needed some rest...

A lovely old lady, without speaking any english, rented me one room in her house and for the cheapest price I had a gorgeous room only for myself (definitely needing it) :)

1 pm and I was ready to face Mostar. I knew nothing about Mostar than that I was suppose to find a beautiful paradise but in my way to center was possible to see the war marks still... and nothing beautiful... one thing I could see: a divided city. one side of the blue river was catholic and the other side Muslim. Two different cultures finally co-existing.

15 minutes of walking and i thought I was entering in a painting: Old town.

Mostar is gorgeous. I was expecting a lot but even like this it was above my expectations.

A old hippi man smiles to me and ask me if I want to sit with him in his carpet. why not? :) very surprised with my nationality he shouted many questions. the sun was hot and the river was calling for me :) I sat in a stone, puted my feet inside water and leted me stay there for hours...dreaming...just dreaming.

Suddenly I start to listen some claps...when i looked to the very old and reconstructed bridge I see a local on his swimsuit preparing himself to... dive! and he did it! amazing jump... hey i want to jump too! :) brave Tania was not that brave :) not anymore :) there was a time that I was jumping in waterfalls, bridges... not anymore...less brave? less stupid...maybe.

the night was falling, bringing even more beauty to town...there was a concert in a stadium: two days alone...I started feeling lonely already, but it's a secret...don't tell ;)

My time in Mostar was great...some how I felt comfortable to see a town that ones was completely destroyed by a war without a meaning (another one) now reconstructed and keeping going on...

was time to head to Sarajevo, ai... I couldn't wait :)

sábado, dezembro 30, 2006

Belgrade: The longest journey

What time is it? can't be...

4,5 hours late our train arrived in Belgrade. the only train that could take Marta to Warsaw on time to catch the plain to Lisbon already left. What to do? when does it leave next train to Warsaw? will it be there on time? but i checked in Internet...was there! next train leaves in the evening to Budapest if from there would be possible to be in Warsaw at right time we didn't know but we knew that was Marta only chance...

faced the first "problem" was my turn: change Estonian croons to euros. of course was not possible anywhere! we crossed all the city and nothing!

Trying to find a nice and cheap place to eat a nice girl came in our direction and asked if we need some help...we did! we were exhausted from the trip, sleepy, tiered and somehow disappointed because things were not going in the right direction.

Anna took us to eat :) and was a precious help to find a hostel for myself to stay a couple of nights. We met her very nice friends, danced traditional Serbian dances in the middle of town and we arranged to meet in the evening ones that was happening in town a big and free music festival where Kusturica would be playing.

Time to say goodbye to Marta and wish good luck to each other. Time of departure was getting closer, time to continue alone...

I saw Marta leaving in a very small train and headed to the festival where I understood was impossible to try to find whoever I wish... went to the meeting point a couple of times but the place was so crowded that I just felt like have a beer and appreciate the cool music.

Walked a bit and suddenly someone touched me and was Anna :) we found each other :) many and soooo nice friends i had a lovely evening.

next day was time to visit better the city and think about next destination: should i head alone to Bosnia or just go back to Warsaw and see what was happening with K.? :) in that day I saw a local trying to sell some old stuff in the street and one leader bag kept my attention... in that instant came to my head that could be the perfect present to someone that was taking care of my luggage :)

The world called me Lauder... will it someday speak quit and let other feelings speak lauder? who knows...

decided that two full days and one night in Belgrade was enough :) I was decided to go to the south of Bosnia to Mostar.

In that night I catched my 12 hours bus to the most spectacular village (at the time I didn't know...).

I was the only foreigner taking the bus...one little girl tried to speak with me but soon understood that could have in reply nothing more than a smile. :)

The mountains were perfect landscape for sunrise :) couldn't fall a sleep just thinking that I could be missing one minute of that beauty.

early morning, bus station, something happened with my feet, were hurting a lot...seamed to me that nothing was happening in Mostar. was i right?was I wrong?

Tania

domingo, dezembro 24, 2006

Haikidiki: A wish became True

many hugs, emotions, happiness, birthday gifts... didn't really felt was a birthday...did I want to feel it?

Could menage people to host us everywhere :) in Thessaloniki asks for a couch for myself more 4 friends :) to George a very friendly DJ with a nice profile...he answered positive but...in the same days we were suppose to be in Thessaloniki he was heading to haikidiki to make free camping in the beach and of course...we were all invited to join him :) everyone loved the idea...why not?

Catarina managed one girl to host us for the first night...she was amazing...caring for everything, nice flat where we could take a really shower and a good sleep night :)

next morning very early was time to leave :) myself, Marta, Catarina and her friend: Catarina :) we took the bus to the place but we jumped out in the middle of no where, called George and he came to pick us... at the time I already knew that we were heading to a nudist beach :) lucky me ones that I didn't know where was my bikini...probably lost it somewhere...It would be my first experience...would I be brave enough?
There we were...in a gorgeous beach where we could see Athena mountain in front and a beautiful green ocean on our feet...So but So hot...

Its a very peculiar part of north of Greece, three peninsulas that they call the three legs :): one is the most touristic, other one is field up with Orthodox monasteries and no woman can go inside :) why? well the excuse is that Athena mountain is devoted to holy Mary and only her can be there... :D could be worst because myself when I imagine a all peninsula with borders and everything where women are forbidden to go inside...I could only imagine priests making the "train" and fucking each other in big orgies...of course marijuana helped a bit but we all did agree that was a credible theory...

The most ironic is ...ones in time...Only women were aloud to go to Athena mountain.

koukla was there too...a couchsurfer as well, they both made us feel at home :) Frappe and marijuana was waiting for us...stones everything is more easy :) everyone was completely naked was our time :) I confessed I was a bit ashamed and koukla, very naturally, said: we have shown ours, now show me yours...

why not?

so...we all showed ours :) and saw their :) after one day no one cared anymore...was natural...we could be all naked talking about the most serious subject and was...normal :)

grilled fish, wine, marijuana, a "roof" field up with stars and a bed soft as sand made these days in Greece a unforgettable experience :) 6 years earlier we were in Greece, south part and I promised myself i would come back and go to haikidi...there I was :) having a so desired birthday present...

Marta's time was ending for myself was time to continue! almost without money in euros currency was urgent get to a bank to change money ones that euros were precious to bribe the controllers...

George came back with us, we went to his flat for some lunch and shower and tried to find some place to change money...but was holiday in Greece and was not possible. Divided between stay one more night and take care about money and leave with Marta and try to take care of it In Serbia where I could imagine was more difficult or I could feel it but...well was Marta last day i this Trip and I decided to take my risk...

sábado, dezembro 23, 2006

Sofia: The Lion's city

And is always when everything is planed that everything turns upside down...

one month before I managed with Catarina to buy me a promotion ticket between Sofia and Thesaloniki where we were suppose to meet after 5 months and spend my Birthday together.

Never thought about visit Sofia just to stay for one night, the necessary to get the train nest very early morning...

My next host lives a bit far from city center, nothing that a bus could not solve :) the problem was with Cyrillic and English tips no one could tell us the right stop!

Was not that bad :) right building, right flat, wrong guy :) a completely different guy from the picture one came to open us the door :) No Nacho...But his flat mate, a Belgian guy that was completely out...A bit surprised with our arrival leted us go inside. A small flat crowded but with such good energy :) we went with him to the city center and we agreed to meet in the afternoon to join them in a party...that could be my birthday party...

We loved Sofia...nice atmosphere, nice people...

but unfortunately we missed the meeting point and went home without a party...Ones at home no one was there...We sat at the door just expecting for a long night outside and some teenagers came and spoke with us...Well one window was open and myself and marta started to manage a plan to go inside...We did it! And was the funniest part of the night :) the teenagers was smoking and invited us... Well completely stones we went home (this time through the door) and managed a little place in the floor to sleep.

next morning the alarm clock didn't ring, we tried to catch the train anyway...Hard mission when no one speaks English, everything in Cyrillic...Well of course we didn't catch it and we returned to nacho flat. At this time we had not meet nacho, our host,yet... Only because of this little detail we had the pleasure to meet him and we almost didn't talk but...Was very simple to feel him :) great heart... Also because of this we had opportunity to socialize with the rest of Nachos guests and we loved it :)

well the second and last train of the day to Thessaloniki was waiting...Time to go :) with the promise that we would come back we left nacho in the bus stop...Always in doubt if he would know somehow that we got inside of his flat by the window and praying for him to forgive us if somehow he would know...

In the train station from nothing we got a join as a present...other one cause our teen friends wanted to give us a present last night :)

a bit late for my birthday party without any sure if catarina would be waiting for us and even maybe because we were closer than never...Was the hardest journey of all trip... A bit after midnight we arrived, jumped out of the train and two minutes later there she was... :) waiting for us!

domingo, dezembro 10, 2006

Bucharest

4 am we arrive in Bucharest. Wow, what a life! The city was still awake, lights and people everywhere and definitely not scary! But we were so sleepy...And Vera my 2nd host was only waiting for us in the next morning.

Who would say that romanian language was so similar with Portuguese?! But is true :) we could understands written things and even some sentences... Its so near and so far...

lovely Vera lives with her father in city center and did everything to make us feel comfortable, walked us around, cooked for us :) and her father sooooo friendly :)

Bucharest is not a dream city but its what it makes it so worthful to see...Is a real city with real people!

Two days was enough, my birthday was coming near and we had to get to Sofia (Bulgaria).

Bribing game was starting to be for granted and soooo funny :) ones more we got to Romanian border for almost nothing...

Tania day Lua.

1st stop: Siguisoara!

Face Warsaw without Kuba almost became a real nightmare...and we only wanted to leave! How could something that was already so well planed turn up side down :) it feels so good when it happens!

ok, over 26? no international student card ( even if is a fake one) saved us of paying a full and expensive ticket :) running from one ticket office to other, trying to speak 5 unusefull west European languages we missed the direct train to Romania...

with a little bug inside saying that maybe was not that bad spend one more night with Kuba :)brave Tanya could not loose one more day of travel. And together, two best friends jumped inside a train to Budapest without ticket and with a terrible past experience in this same situation some years ago :) we didn't care...We were together!

Polish controller came inside the carruage, we said we had no tickets and if it was possible we would like to buy it :) It was possible to buy it of course until the border. (Russian couple have told me was cheaper to buy tickets until borders than buy a full ticket).

Some years before in Hungary because we had no reservation, controller kicked us out in the middle of nowhere so this time we decided to jump out before it would happen. Very late evening, last polish train stop, good spot in the floor to sleep :)

The sun raised early, time to walk :) we decided to cross the border walking and get back to train again in Slovakia. In the middle of the way we found some guards that very gently took us to border...Everything was going fine until I realize my beautiful bag with my camera was forgotten in the train station in Poland :( nothing could make me unhappy not even my stolen camera :)

10 km walking until next village with train station, for almost 10 euros was possible to cross all Slovakia,unbelievable... And between beautifully mountains and forgotten castles we arrived in Hungary... The game was almost starting :) ladies and gentleman welcome to the controllers bribing world!

How much is the ticket to Budapest? May we pay in Euros? 10 euros both, no paper? Deal! Oh my God...We bribed the controllers!

well we crossed all Hungary for 15 euros each and from Romanian Border until Siguisoara we didn't even pay...Lucky was with us but until when? Was too much attractive what was happening to even ask...

Lovely siguisoara, field up with gypsies, dracula stories and tourists :)

Time to go to Bucharest where Vera was waiting for us :)

Tania from the moon