I played tourist in Riga.
Just strolling trough the old town, looked at historical building, visited churches and parks and learned a bit from its history.
Not going to bore you with many details about Riga, what you could find in a better way online, but post some impressions on my walk trough the city, before i found a quite place for the night just at the bank of the river Daugava.
Not far from the capital Vilnius lies the beautiful Trakai Island Castle.
It’s certainly worth a visit, despite the mass of foreign and local tourists.
After exploring the old walls from the 14th century, there are cafes to relax with a splendid view over the lake.
Nothing else better than a good coffee for starting a new day. Even better in beautiful or interesting surrounding.
It’s happened i got an overnight stay just in Tsukim, just near the gate to the art village. And it’s just happened i woke up there on a Friday morning, the day when the art village is open for public, as they told me.
The Artists‘ Colony of Tsukim, also know as Zuqim, lies in the Negev desert, far away from a bigger settlement. A perfect place to follow your inspiration and create artsy stuff, as also more handy ones, like roasting coffee.
And coffee i got in the gallery, where beautiful landscape pictures of winterly Turkey were displayed. Ironically i did travel in Turkey just before and was fleeing the cold, while i enjoy the pictures here in the desert now.
Later i roamed trough the little shops, talked with a few artist and admired their art work. Paintings, pottery, fairy puppets, jewelry and wonderful creatures and things made from natural materials. And this coffee roastery, owned by a nice guy and his father. A good reason to stop by for another espresso.
My local friend felt already pity for me and assured me, it’s unusual having so many misty and rainy days in a row here.
On my last day in Milano it happened: The sun appeared with an unexpected power, to this time of the year, and lifted the mist over the city. Let’s go again to the city centre for a stroll, i told myself.
After a cappuccino i was ready to walk under the blue sky. I was not alone. The entire town seemed to enjoy the sun again too. The place in front of the cathedral was full of people. Amused to watch all the selfie freaks with their duck faces and the shopping addicted in the holy halls of commerce. I got myself lost in the streets of Milano, found another nice, little restaurant with tasty ‚panzerotto‘ and of course coffee, my personal addiction.
So many times i passed Milano, the big, fashionable city of the North of Italy, but never stopped by here. Till now. At least getting a glimpse of the city, i thought. But why i come in the cold autumn, i asked myself after a cold night looking into a misty, cold morning.
First comes first. A real cappuccino with marmalade filled croissant in a typically Italian coffee bar. What a delight. Although this has not lifted my mood for a city walk, i have to admit.
But since i’m here anyway, i approached the famous Cathedral of Milano. At its wall i discovered a relief with the scene of the expulsion from paradise. Paradise, as i would define it, a bright, peaceful place with enough space and food for everyone, and warmth. Instead i found myself between huge pillars in a gloomy dark and cold room. People scurry by, whispers floating in the air, swallowed by the flickering candlelight and incredulous prayers are sent to the unreachable dome. Only the beautifully windows brings some bright colors into that dark mystic room and tells some stories of hope and light.
Talking about places of worship, there's this huge 'Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II'. A palace of consumption, excess and decadence. Just next to the catholic cathedral, also equipped with a huge dome, people flock in to get lost in shopping. Those who don't believe in their prayers for luck only, has the change to get some more luck by placing their heels on the balls of a bull figure on the floor and turn themselves three times around. My walk lead me to the famous 'Teatro alla Scala'. There i passed the statue of Leonardo, certainly one of the most famous person of all times. Finally i reached 'Castello', but didn't visit it, took some time in the big park behind it, where joggers run between trees and lovers meet up at the bridge, where they hope to lock their love at the rail. I need a break, i decided, and rattled towards my camp by public transport...
It’s already late this year.
My feet got more and more itchy. But finally my #TinaTortuga is ready to take her out for another, bigger trip.
The decision for a destination was hard to find for this winter. There’s no lack on ideas and opportunities, tho. But where to put the priority?
Traveling by my Landrover #TinaTortuga.
Heading to warmer places.
Explorer new regions.
So, let’s start by crossing the snowy Alps, having a coffee in Italy first…
Greece. Since my brief visit in 2017 i knew i’m coming back. Due the pandemic it was difficult to make any travel plans. However, i just went off, needed a break, needed to get a glimpse beyond the horizon again.
The last working shifts was planned as nightshifts. That’s how the idea came up to travel by night since i’m in that rythm anyway. On lonely Swiss and Italian highways i covered dark 800 kilometers trough the short night. Coffee along the roads kept me awake and focused as the distance was melting with the rising sun.
Ancona was awaiting with the “Superfast” Ferry. All went smoothly. I just wished the floor i lied down was smoother too. Another night with almost no sleep was ahead me.
To my surprise Igoumenitsa wasn’t as bad as expected. A nearby campsite right at the sea offered a lovely place to camp. And in the small city of Igoumenitsa wasn’t crowded with tourists, but i found everything i was asking for. Some nice little coffee shops, few supermarkets and a shop selling me a SIM card to stay online on my trip. Not a bad start.
On the volcanic soil, coffee grows better and is tastier than where else, they say. So, i visit a coffee plantation near Kisoro to proof it. The friendly people here explain the entire process from the seedlings to green beans to the ripe red ones, from harvest to the inner beans and drying process, from stamping off the skin to roasting over the fire. But best of all, the coffee tasting at the end. For the next weeks i know exactly where my coffee was grown.
The fish market is next to the ferry station. Fishermen are busy unload their catch from big boats to the halls. In different sections buyers get smaller or bigger fishes, fish cleaning tables and fish frying facilities. The stench isn’t that smelly as expected and despite the crowd gathering around tables or auctions, the noise isn’t that bad either. The variety of fishes and seafood is big instead. Beside the piles of common snappers and other fishes, craps, squids, eels and different rays are also in the catch. I only feel disturbed to find frozen fish from China in that market too.
Just a few photographic impression all around kitchen stuff in my camp and nearby 🙂
rene bauer photography 