Diary 06

• 20-06 dear diary,

We are now in the centre of Panevezys, where just finished our first (almost) action on this tour. Pictures are still hanging on a string, people are organizing lunch, somebody is trying to change the money. It seems that there was no initial ice of biketour ever, when people are still a bit unsure about the whole crazy idea to cycle all the way, everyone seems relaxed and enjoying themselves. Crazy, that I am writing this, I should be may be describing my own feelings :). Well, I feel home. Home in Lithuania, and home in the biketour. Home with my family. Happy family. Caring family. Ever increasing and changing one. Also I am very very happy that I got to know so many nice and open Lithuanians.

• 21st of June (Wednesday)

Dear diary-reader, it's funny how such simple delights can start your day in a good humour. This morning I actually awoke to find my tent in the shade and not under blistering Lithuanian Sun! What a relief to have slept well. Cream cakes made a change to our breakfast diet and all was washed down with coffee and pear cider in the delightful company of Kristina (the blonde). A brief riverside meeting resulted in an impromptu cleaning action and the rubbish was turned into a work of „art“ by biketour’s resident sculptor Rikardus. On our way to our sleeping place we stopped near Anyksciai to see the Puntukas stone. A large carved rock which is as impressive as it sounds. Our sleeping place was at the country tourism home „Vilkes namai“ owned by a young couple Tomas, Roberta and their daughter Cornelia. Biketour food has apparently become so well renowned that the neighbours came around for dinner. Lithuanian potato cakes were on offer, after a long days cycle they went down a treat! Some foolish biketourers made a vain effort to dissolve their layers of grime in the sauna. This unfortunately left them exposed to the squadrons of dive bombing mosquitoes from the local swamp. A wise man once said „Put your tent up, you slaft hugger!“ and it was so sheltered that I drifted off to sleep amidst sounds of slapping and swearing. Ha Ha! (Nelson from the „Simpsons“ voice).

• 22nd June

Dear diary-reader, as you know gravity is not a friend of the biketourer when she's not doing her best to pull us to the painful ground at inconvenient times, she sees fit to keep us from ever reaching „the top of the hill“. This mythical place is always right round the bend or just a little bit further. It is with these heavy thoughts that we were confronted with Lithuania's rolling countryside. A series of hilly roads stretched before us like the many arched back of a great serpent reaching from hell. On, and on, and on, we went to Moletai for some fine Svyturys beer which eased the pain and set our appetite up for the local dumplings called „koldunai“, tasty indeed! From there we met Andrius, who brought us on a trip around the Labanoras national park. This trip, and the resulting cycle to the sleeping place shall not be commented upon this writer! This is because a) they won't let me write bad words and b) I'm trying to forget it for sanity's sake. I'm sure somebody more forgiving will fill in the details but basically we saw a tree or to then played russian-roulette -cycle. It wasn't all bad, - when we eventually arrived at a biketour record breaking hour, a big pot of soup was made and an old biketour friend, Yarden, was waiting for us with baclava. Cheers mate!

• 22.6

MAGICAL TREES

This area of the many lakes is beautiful. We waited long in Moletai and then we started a beautiful guided tour through the forest ... sacred trees and lakes. It was a very special place... riding between two lakes in the evening sun! In reality they are one lake! Andrew the guide told us magical stories about that place! The horn-peninsula.. where the witches dance in midsummer night. A very special pine-tree. I had the impression that I could feel the spirits.. and this tree...sitting under it.. gave me so much love and warm feeling.. I wish to come back to this place to have a women-dance-celebration. The energy of this place made me dance&sing.. the beauty.. the power.. flowing.. being.. feeling my witch-power, my female crazy being! „the spirit of the sun comes to me in the form of a beautiful dancing golden woman. And her eyes fill me with peace. Her dance fills me with bliss.“ that's the song that fits perfect to this horn of witches.. „Ask the fishermen if you want to know more about the magic that is happening at that place!“ WOLVES TREE. Our ride is going on to the next magical tree! If you want to get a child & it does not work you can pass through the tree! (I was dreaming about children the night after. I hope that did not work for me) Feeling that tree gave me a lot of clarity. I came down from the crazy witch dancing... to a soft, clear, loving mind. Maybe the tree is like an understanding mother & father. HEALING OAK. The third tree we visited was a 300 year old oak, that is supposed to take our illness. You touch it and you can give one illness you have to the oak. But if you touch twice you get another illness back. That tree was very strong. Respectful. Let's see if we could leave our illnesses there? (riding) cycling in darkness on gravel & sand.. new experience. Good night dinner! Soup

• 23.6

Resting day... sleeping, talking circle, washing clothes.. Midsummer night: walking through the wood to a very special place. People with flower-garlands in their hair. Village with two houses.. river, flower meadows... I really loved that place. A place where I could stay. The nature very powerful.. But.. drunk people around the fire…jokes... different energies, expectations. Beautiful Lithuanian songs. Dancing. Fire show, rain, tea and cookies waiting for the morning to come. 20 min to 4 the light is coming. „You are not supposed to sleep in that night“ It was very beautiful to see people of our group with beautiful flower garlands! Pictures.. Fun..

• 24.6

It took time for everybody to wake up after the shortest night of a year, because some people didn't sleep till the dawn. But sooner or later, after having breakfast and packing up, we started cycling. The first part of a trip was through the forest, until we reached a place called „Maldziunai“ - extremely beautiful landscape – hills, hills, hills. And then the GRAVEL road started, and the rest of the way was like this

(up&down up&down). Delicious lunch (bread, humus (?), tomatoes, hah, hah), little bit of cycling and here we are, in our sleeping place near the lake „ZVERNAS“. The process of preparing supper was as pleasant as the supper :) „thank you for the food, thank you for the food, it' healing, it's healing, it's healing us“ „aciu uz maista, aciu uz maista jis gydo, jis gydo, jis gydo mus“. As well: Swimming, chatting, singing, guitar, tea (made from a herb called CIOBRELIAI), fire... mmmm...zzzz. Sleep my friend and you will see dream is my reality.

COMMUNICATION. That's the best thing. Communicating with each other makes everything go on. Everything stops when people reach communication. Breakdown. So I really enjoyed meeting, talking, interchanging experiences with all of you. I think this is the most important thing, it does not matter which language we talk. Or sing. What matters is that we understand each other. As I will leave the group today I wish you good luck with those several thousands kilometres left till Slovakia (Croatia). As someone said today – this biketour has only one drownback – that you start to get to know people and then suddenly you have to leave them. So good luck. -one less car- p.s. Thank you for the food, songs, smiles, gravel rouds, rain, wind, fire... etc. And being together. Most of all.

• 25day DUBINGIAI – VILNIUS

Today we didn’t wake up as early as it was planned. We cycled to Dubingiai and had breakfast on a platform in the lake. During the breakfast one dish fell in the lake and it was saved like this:. Then we had a morning circle near a very smelly shit. Then we cycled all the way without gravel! Near a road stood a berries woman who had a very good day – 4 of us some (locals paid 5, foreigners 6 litas). We met in a gas station, saw a very funny taxi driver who extremely loved his car (long long waiting for others to come). Today we entered Vilnius and had a fats ride through it. In the sleeping place we had showers – today we slept in a school. Arnas welcomed us in Vilnius with prepared vegan dinner and Phillip – activist from Germany joined our meal to share some information about upcoming G8 meeting in St. Petersburg (he was cycling with G8 caravan, but left his bike in Poland and decided to hitchhike the rest of the way). After delicious dinner we had showers and split into 2 groups – one that wanted to watch football game and one that went night bike ride in Vilnius. The riders were in Uzupis, saw “Galera”, the statue of angel, and rules of Uzupis. Then they met some Lithuanian cyclists in the Cathedral square. All of them set out for a night cycle in Vilnius with music. I had an accident. After that all riders had an after party, but Ecotopists decided to go home. For me it was a very strange day as I suddenly crashed into a city life. Wish for Ecotopia group getting closer and closer, getting to know each other.

• 26 June Vilnius (rest day)

Waking up this morning I had a fleeting sense of Dejavu – sleeping in a sports hall and the muddling excesses of the night before made me think we were back in Romania at last year's biketour. Oh no!!! Fortunately the thought was vanquished from my head by the cherubic grin of our lovely Lithuanian coordinator Vita. After a quick good morning she ushered us out into a big bad world and into another day of feeding frenzy we call biketour. While mulling over a delicious strawberry muesli at breakfast time of how each year cycle is different. While only a week long the tour through Lithuania has distinguished itself by uniquely having families and children along. Our first young biketourer Elena put us veterans on shame by speeding ahead of us every day. Though gone now her presence is missed by all, perhaps most by Kristina (the blonde) who had her as her little sister for a while. Her place has been taken by her 11 years old brother. What other changes await us? That remains to be seen, but I for one can’t wait. After breakfast we nipped of shopping so we too could be the proud owners of this year’s biketour t-shirts. The theme this year “bike-it-yourself” meant that our shirts would have to be made by ourselves. So the most amateur printers in Vilnius headed of to infoshop to try not to make too big mess. Fortunately they turned out quite well. As a reward we had dinner cooked for us which was a treat, particularly because I had to do bugger all. Further treats came in a form of drumming/street party in a local park. All under the watchful eye of a curious policeman. He looked more confused than anything. It certainly gained the attention of onlookers who could gaze at our “tailored art” exhibition. Back to the school at 10 and one or three of us headed off to Vilnius. Less than magnificent Monday night life. Ah my poor wee head!

• 27 June. Vilnius – Genionys

To be waked up by sirens is not the best thing. But it happens, when you have to get up at… 7. Showers, breakfast near basteja, and „Lithuanian German“, as he calls himself in emails, Frank, led us out of the Vilnius, showing the old road from 18th century from Vilnius to Kaunas, going up for 1,5 km. Well... it's just a beginning. Our route was about 79 km. We stopped in old capital of Lithuania Trakai for lunch and a swim (and beer in local pub). When we continued, trying not to meet the rain until small village of Genionys, somewhere in woods, fields and gravel roads. This gravel was not successful for Phill, our English guy – he felt down from the bike. How serious it is we found out just the next day. Our sleeping place was a little farmstead, owned by a young couple. Dinner at night, songs, talks... Marius, the host, also told about situation in Dzukijos national park and our plans for the next day, concerning our action in Varena.

• 28 June, Genionys – Marcinkonys

With the morning came the realisation that yesterday’s accident is much more serious than it looked at a first glance. Welcoming new participants – Ieva and Giedre – we convinced their parents to take Phil and Kristina to the nearest hospital, just to be sure that nothing serious happened. But actually, when we reached Varena by bikes, Phil was all proud of his new plaster that he had to wear for the next 2 weeks – a bone in an elbow got broken. And Egle almost managed to get in another accident while making a turn to the hospital. Hm… Action in Varena was small and cosy – distributing leaflets for people, hanging our exhibition on bikes, painting poor fish in river Ula that, as locals say “cannot see sky anymore” because of endless canoes convoy. We also signed a petition asking to limit the number of tourists allowed to canoe in this Natura 2000 protected river. Now as much as 200 canoes are allowed daily while just 3 years ago it was limited to 25-30 per day. From Varena we cycled to an ethnographical village Zervynos and also went take some magical water from a spring called “Ulos akis/Ulos eye”. Today I ended up cycling with our youngest participants now, as Audrius, Kristina’s brother, had to leave together with Phil and Kristina. I was really amazed to see how independent the 13 year old Ieva and Giedre were and enjoyed watching them building up their own tent, preparing sleeping bags and listening to their never ending chit-chatting about almost anything :).

• 29 June, Marcinkonys - Musteika

Lazy day. I was woken up by Stasys calling – ok, we have to hurry up, at 11 am there is a visit to museum… and I have to buy breakfast before. Jumping into cold Gruda water and – to Marcinkonys.

Well, we were late for museum (always the same), having such a beautiful camping site takes time. After the breakfast – good byes circle, last songs together with 4 Lithuanians (Ieva, Aurimas, Algis and Egle) leaving the biketour. Our group is getting smaller and smaller – Phil left because of broken arm, Kristina and Audrius went together with him. Also we have 2 young girls, Ieva and Gierdre joining us for a few days, but it seems that only 6 or 7 of us will cross the border.

But now it’s better just to stay here, in Dzukija, enjoying being here. This land has a special meaning for me. Though I am here not for the first time, I still cannot get it what is it. Well, nature is beautiful (in my opinion the most beautiful in Lithuania), people are nice and generous, but there is something more. May be it is in history, tradition, way of life. As the woman told us in the museum, life was not easy here. Of course not, as it look for us (or me) coming from a city in a romantic mood.

What else impresses me here – the local people helping us, answering sometimes stupid questions, giving fresh vegetables for free, telling us their life stories and in general, letting us, group of cyclists, seen for the first time in their life into their private space and private lives.

And… the harmony with nature as the woman in the museum told us. After long long 13 km we arrived in Musteika, village near Belarusian border, keeping all the traditions and structure from the past. So, Romas – our host – showed us bee keeping in the pine trunks and… attacks of mosquitoes started. I don’t know how live in harmony with those little flying things, millions of them. So I and some spent evening in the tents. Even Ricardas came to the tent in he morning (chi chi chi).

Lazy day. But full of impressions and new things.

• 30 June. Musteika (rest day)

A certain blonde Lithuanian biketourer (who shall remain anonymus) couldn’t write the diary for today, as being a rest day, she fell, there was nothing to write about. So once again it falls upon me to give an account to you our beloved readers of a not so typical resting day on that journey through experiences we call biketour.

The luxury of a lie-in was afforded to us, or should that be necessitated? Once the flying filth mongers that plagued us in the previous night were gone, we crawled warily from our refuges. Breakfast awaited us, prepared once again by Vita who really had better things to be doing. A game of guess the cereal quickly ensued which turned out to be barley with only the odd fly.

Local craft workshops were for desert and we all set about making spoons from pieces of wood which could have been put for better use. The lumpy results were best suited for a troll with a deformed jaw rather than their intended use. Our brawns not brains were put to the test next as we helped Romas bring in the hay. A tiring task, but definitely one for camera. Back to the camp and wicker working was on offer and the basics were demonstrated and hopelessly repeated by our two left hands.

The local sauna was prepared and in I went for the first time. English sensibilities and my own natural fear of fat naked sweaty men quickly won over and I left for a companionship of a fairer sex who were getting the dinned on. Our dinner for a night, after many abortive starts, turned out to be rather tasty mushroom and pea soup. Feeding time for us meant the hordes were returning with reinforcement, so we made a hooty retreat for fight and cycle another day.

• July 1st, border crossing into Poland (Yay!)

The proverbial guy down the pub once told me a story. It was about an old poor bugger called Sisyphus who was cursed for eternity to push a stone up the hill whereby it would immediately roll down again. Evidently, the gods, while choosing this punishment had never heard of fiendish device known as “trailer”.

Dragging the trailer through Lithuanian quickly became Sisyphean as no sooner had I hauled it’s ungrateful metal soul up the hill gravity would bring us down to a point where I could begin again. Lithuania, while beautiful, happened to be very hilly so waking up this morning knowing that we’d cross the border into Poland brought a hint of joy. Leaving the beautiful village Musteika and its hordes of dive-bombing demons we had our first strike of luck – a road marked as “grayvel” on the map had recently been paved thanks to the deep pockets of EU and German tax payer. We sped along the historic town of Druskininkai where we said good-byes to 2 of our Lithuanian group. Now reduced to 7 and bereft of our Lithuanian organiser we dashed for the border which came to soon as it meant good-byes once again, this time to our encyclopaedia of all things Stasys. An unusually easy border crossing followed and up the road we went to meet with our new Polish companions who were (naturally) waiting in a pub for us. Our sleeping place was Marcin’s farm and while the kasha was being prepared we nipped down for the lake for a moonlit swim in our scuddies. What a nice way to finish of the first leg of our biketour!

Speaking of endings I wonder what happened to Sisyphus? It wasn’t all to bad for him – stories and legends were told to immortalise his name. Were he around today no doubt he’d been replaced which could do his job more cost efficient. No bad him for him as his fame and incredibly buff physique would ensure his choice of any number of ladies. I, for all my torment, must make do with a less with chilled and my inflammable mat each night :(. To make matters worse it has a hole in it! Damn + blast. Barry

• July 2, Mazurki

Man invented the wheel. There is no doubt about this. The only problem is that one wheel of its own is pretty useless and the guy who invented it probably intended it as portable bar stool. It was no doubt a woman, with her practical sensibilities, that stuck two of the together and made the bicycle.

All of 16 years ago the biketour come along to put this invention to good use. Back into those primitive times, before internet, mobile phones and blue Mells, biketours which were more an endurance trial than a tour still managed to be organised successfully. Over the years biketour has become increasingly reliant on modern technology. Where once mobile phone users were regarded enviously by their lost in woods companions, now the mobile phone is common place and friends and relatives are but one very expensive phone away.

Today our multi wheeled IT department headed off in the worst of the Polish summer heat. Beautifully smooth roads awaited us and being Sunday were largely car free. A long cycle was planned but made easier by a stop for lunch at a lake. My dreams of flatness were answered and indeed many times I glanced behind to see if the trailer was even attached.

Our sleeping place tonight was the agrotourism farm in Mazurki near the beautiful town of Augustovi. The usual cantankerous dogs greeted our arrival. Our host showed us the many wonders, which awaited us – hot showers, to peel of our protective coating of grime, electric lights to prep our dinner by and the antiquated stove to cook our dinner on. This night I will not miss the choking, blinding smoke which normally await those foolhardy to cook over campfire. (A tip for future biketour cooks – drink beer to ease the pain!). Barry

• July 4,

We left very late at the agrotouristic farm, sunset at a beautiful river. Night cycling to the camping Topolina. No signs, lucky that we arrived… and great potatoes already boiling. Thanks to Barry.

• July 5

Wake up call. Chinese self-massage. We left later… No signs to the breakfast place.

• 13th July Lublin

7‭ ‬am is an ungodly hour.‭ ‬Bearing this in mind what could be worse than being waken up at this hour‭ ? ‬I´ll tell you dear diary ready-‭ ‬it´s being waking up at said forsaken time by an old polish guy shaking your tent and trying to get in...‭ ‬fortunately‭ (‬for him maybe‭) ‬he was distracted by someone and buggered off.‭ ‬A lazy start was called for as deciding between a hot beach and a ht road proved a no-brainer.‭ ‬At‭ ‬5‭ ‬we headed down the road for a fast cycle to Lublin in general and Milosz‭´ ‬house in particular.‭ ‬The road took us along a cycle path along a river where we left signs for everyone foolish enough to try following.‭ ‬Still,‭ ‬arrive we did and a small pile of piroghi awaited us.‭ ‬Quik work we made of them too but they kept arriving by the plateload.‭ ‬They were grateful given homes.‭ ‬Satisfied our restday could begin we set about making the place our homes in our unique biketour way.‭ ‬A late trip to the pub proved fruitless,‭ ‬instead we settled for tea and each others company.‭ ‬Oh well,‭ ‬i guess it´ll do that for a change.‭ ‬Barry

• July‭ ‬14‭ ‬Lublin

This morning i was woken up by something beautiful.‭ ‬No,‭ ‬it wasn´t one of the tall blondes that Poland is gifted with.‭ ‬Instead it was the sound of rain as the pitter-patter on my tent knocked on my door into consciousness.‭ ‬Being from Ireland I´ve become quite used to rain while being‭ ‬ without rain for the last month feels quite strange.‭ ‬I´d opted out of this mornings trip to a beekeeping school,‭ ‬leaving me to enjoy the rain in relative dryness while braver souls braved the rain in an effort to increase their knowledge of the natural world.‭ ‬I,‭ ‬on the other hand,‭ ‬shall stick to discovery channel.

Eventually I crawled out from my sanctuary to the delight of american french toast which,‭ ‬ironically,‭ ‬we had with honey.‭ ‬After lunch we had an extended circle to discuss the arrival of bunch of new folks who will join soon.‭ ‬Once again the circle proved fruitless with no concrete suggestions and a few half arsed ideas on how to integrate with them.‭ ‬From past experiences meeting east europeans they propably already have plans which will center around a large bottle of something.‭ ‬Sometimes the old ways are the best,‭ ‬and definetly more fun‭!

Now onto a more sombre event.‭ ‬Today we traveled as to Majdanek which was the‭ ‬2.‭ ‬largest concentration camp in Europe. We´ve all seen the films but nothing can prepare you for being there.‭ ‬The place is so well preserved you´ve a sense being there which no film can demonstrate.‭ ‬Being surrounded by barbed wire,‭ ‬sentry poots dominating the horizon and the incinerator chimney told u a story‭ – ‬if you were here all those years ago there was no way you were leaving alive.‭ ‬Particularly poignant was one huge hall filled with stacks of shoes.‭ ‬Danty lades shoes from the wealthier classes were mixed with the gypsies boot.‭ ‬Even wealth was no escape. Fortunately for us there was an escape so off on our bikes we went albeit‭ ‬quieter than usual to the historic ld town of Lublin.‭ ‬I tempted fate by lending my spare light leading to some evil-kanevil style incidents on the long wet cycle home.‭ ‬Still there were night-owl biketourers still up and plenty of tea left.‭ ‬I might just get used to this after all.‭ ‬Barry

• 15th of July

Saying good bye to some people in the morning.‭ ‬Jan is leaving for one week.‭ ‬So now I decide on my own to stay on biketour.‭ ‬I can not say anymore that I am just here because of him...‭ ‬New Experience‭! ‬Started hard:‭ ‬stomach-ache‭ & ‬first rain‭! Pancakes for breakfast‭ & ‬good bye and thank u song for Milosz‭´ ‬mother: ‭“‬Iola gave us Milosz ‭ ‬Iola gave us Mivosz Iola gave us a good place. Thank you a lot‭ ! “ We picked raspberries for her and got lots of sauer milk we did not use.‭ ‬I hope we will not have to throw away so much food in future‭! I did not realize that Milosz is leaving the group,‭ ‬I would have liked to say good bye to him‭!

So the worst day of cycling for me till now: A flat tire,‭ ‬good-bye to Jan and Linda.‭ ‬I cycled with good music.‭ ‬But I felt like lying down in the sun to relax my stomach.‭ ‬But the was no sun and no dry place to lie down,‭ ‬just‭ ‬70‭ ‬k before me to cycle.‭ ‬I met Barry and he stayed the first part with me.‭ ‬That helped me to cycle faster‭ – ‬which was very slow for him‭ – ‬helped me not to give up. ‭“‬So just cycle,‭ ‬the pain will pass,‭ ‬sooner or later‭!” “ ‬Just observe:‭ ‬Everything is changing:‭ ‬Good and Bad‭!” In the evening there was a beautiful rainbow,‭ ‬parts of a rainbow‭ & ‬we were cycling towards it.‭ ‬I was relaxing a bit in the evening sun.‭ ‬Yeah,‭ ‬finally some sun‭ ! ‬Spanish Hip-hop,‭ ‬Rap and‭ ‬4‭ ‬Spanish people arrived.‭ ‬Beautiful lights in the evening‭! ‬Sleeping place at a dam.‭ ‬How nice to relax in my tent.‭ ‬Birthday cake and song for Anna from Spain.‭ ‬Our host joied our dinner‭ & ‬sang us a Polish love song.‭ ‬Because of the rain we sat close under a small tarp‭! ‬Some people really enjoyed the rain.‭ ‬Joao uns Jarden were smiling so happy.‭ ‬Radio and some songs and the sound of rain‭ ! ‬Johanna

Biketour song

...‭(‬put a name here‭)‬...‭ ‬bikes for freedom
...(xx)... got a special feeling
...(xx)... so let´s bike with him/her
sing this song
all the biketour long
as our wheels are flying
to‭ |‬:Ecotopia,‭ ‬Ecotopia:‭|
From Lietova to Ecotopia
From Ecotopia to Hrvatska/Croatia

• 16th July

The sun is blinking to me and quickly-‭ ‬blink,‭ ‬blink‭ – ‬it hid by the horizon.‭ ‬Thats a good sign for tomorrows route‭ ‬-‭> ‬Maybe it won´t rain so much as today. All day before sunset was stormy,‭ ‬windy and like showering from the sky.‭ ‬Thanx god for this rain.‭ ‬The earth can breath again here.‭ ‬The enormous heat and dryness this summer is a new problem.‭ ‬Some say it could become like the Mediterranean here in Poland in the near future.‭ ‬8000‭ ‬small river are gone,‭ ‬disappeared,‭ ‬so far. Coming back to our biketour community,‭ ‬the day became an extra resting one because of the weather.‭ ‬Sleepy,‭ ‬slowly‭ (‬beautiful‭)‬,‭ ‬cooking and relaxing day.‭ ‬I can feel nice dinner smell from our new Spanish team:‭) ‬The rest is watching‭ “‬Ice Age‭” ‬movie,‭ ‬lot odf fun.‭ ‬See U‭ ‬,‭ ‬Olga

• 16th‭

Putting my head out of m shelter during the early early morning‭ ‬,‭ ‬I recognized the voices of whom had the nicest breakfast till now:‭ ‬food on bed.‭ ‬Small pleasures like avoiding the wetness of a constant rain,‭ ‬being waked by good news almost whispered by angelical voices testing some non-Ne Ⅲlé-flakes...‭ ‬all that is a gift provided by a community where most of the time you feel that everyone cares for each other... ‭ ‬After the food touched the stomach‭ ‬,‭ ‬many continued their sleep in their tents that were struggling for the first time‭ (‬in this BT‭) ‬with the wind blows.‭ ‬Some other dressed up their rain coats as an excuse for carrying them,‭ ‬and gathered together the spoils of a long night,‭ ‬headed to the dam control building,‭ ‬and there installed BT neat for the rest of this extraordinary rainy day. The availability of an equipped kitchen,‭ ‬warm day room and electrical sockets is like a devils whisper in the ears of these eco-wanderers.‭ ‬As our lives become more similar to the city routines that we are familiar with,‭ ‬the final touch was sitting in the dark for a straight a movies session. The‭ “‬Video-library‭” ‬of films that we‭ “‬preach‭” ‬about on our flyers and stickers is still to be shown.‭ ‬Most of the times I blame myself for not offering them,‭ ‬but this time I really sucumbed to the easiest solution.‭ ‬It won´t be soon that we find such a perfect environment and high peek of energy that only a restday is abel to refill. After many laughs‭ ‬,‭ ‬some bites of Spanish pasta and a rush late night cleaning we retourned to our nylon hives and I rested my eyes for some hours.‭ ‬João‭ = ‬Juaum‭ = ‬jjuuuuaaaaaaaaauum ‭

• 17th

After the sessions of yoga,‭ ‬breakfast cycle‭ (‬preparation till repacking of all the mobile catering stuff‭) ‬circle under sun‭ (‬brain sunbath as opposed to‭ ‬-storm‭) ‬and‭ ‬in the end the folding of our own tents... after all that,‭ ‬again,‭ ‬there was a small group that opted for the‭ “‬Zamosc‭” ‬contemplation journey.‭ ‬While the core of BT was spraying‭ ‬and following arrows through the shortest way,‭ ‬Barry,‭ ‬Dorota and me took the kilometric detour but the‭ “‬all-senses delight‭” ‬shortcut. Other than a ton equipped with xerox machines and semi-legal unblocking phone deals,‭ ‬Zamosc will keep a slot in my over-saturated memory for‭ “‬world-places‭”‬.‭ ‬The market inside the remains of a red brick city wall,‭ ‬the giant‭ “‬man on a horse,‭ ‬waving a sword‭”‬-statue‭ (‬with which i will not make more fun...‭)‬,‭ ‬the narrow streets still being renovated,‭ ‬and a tourism office where italian was the only language other than Polish...‭ ‬all that glued together in my‭ ‬mind the notion that there was an Italian influence in Samosc. Of course the main square is the‭ “‬not to miss‭” ‬spot,‭ ‬with its wide area,‭ ‬colored walls‭ (‬lacking some decoration details from previous centuries‭) ‬,‭ ‬and lively terraces where this BT‭ “‬cuisin‭” ‬jury st and kept good impressions from some typical offers.‭ ‬Some may say that fish is not‭ “‬ok‭”‬...‭ ‬but then just punish me cause I sinned and will keep doing it‭ ;) With maps for all the people jet to come,‭ ‬a treat in the bellies and a feeling of mission accomplished‭