Let's Shape our Stories !

Bhuj (India) to Ahmedabad (India)

2009-07-19T08:42:00.002-07:00

Distance: 60Km
Departure: 27/06/09
Arrival: 27/06/09

After all the small places we visited in Kutch go back to Ahmedabad was quite a shock. Fortunately there we had a contact to call and ready to host us. Aahna opened the door of her house to us at 7 am, with a marvelous smile and a fresh breakfast we broke the ice and for 3 days we shared good time together.

Mundra (India) to Bhuj (India)

2009-07-19T08:42:00.001-07:00

Distance: 60Km
Departure: 27/06/09
Arrival: 27/06/09

Happily we left Mundra and once in Bhuj we felt like to go back home. Also in Bhuj we had a great experience with a family whose members realize jewelry in silver. They also welcomed us in their house and in the small and simple nest they live in we could share knowledge, smiles, food…

Mandvi (India) to Mundra (India)

2009-07-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

Distance: 50Km
Departure: 27/06/09
Arrival: 27/06/09

15 people in one car and 1h30 was required to reach Mundra, another small town but quite crowded. Searching for a place to sleep we found “Meet Hotel”, guesthouse made in a typical Indian style with rooms scattered in three floors with a dirty aspect, a few light coming from the windows and fans on the roofs to refresh the guests from the stifling heat. The owner welcomed us very nicely and when we arrived at the point to ask about the fee he try to let us understand in Hindi “for you It’s free!” but we had to wait somebody able to translate before to get It.

After this amazing beginning, and apart for other one reason, our stay over there wasn’t great. The town is noisy and dirty, to walk in the streets is not really pleasant and there aren’t so many attractive places… actually, there aren’t at all! At the same time our stay there was more than motivate coz we could start to translate in action our project for the book.

We meet Shakil and his family, the welcoming was properly organized with tchaï and detailed explanation about their work. It was in this climate that we got closer and that we choose to propose to him the project. Soon everybody knew about what was going on in the small room where we were sitting and to confirm our thoughts shanty shanty most of the uncles came to pay a visit to us and he propose us to meet a member of the family to work with also.

Well, this first meeting was a good starting point for our research, we spent together 4 days and we use to meet once-twice a week. The contact with the family was great, so different and interesting their way to live and their artistic heritage was more than fascinating!

Bhuj (India) to Mandvi (India)

2009-07-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

Distance: 60Km
Departure: 17/06/09
Arrival: 17/06/09

Mandvi is a small town famous for its port and for craftworks. At the beginning we thought to spend there not more than 3 days but travelling it’s difficult to follow a program and, at last, we stayed there 9days. This is our 9th day in Mandvi and tomorrow we’ll move to Mundra, a village 60km east from here, where we’ll start a project called “Objects stories”, written in the last month. Actually, it’s also because of this idea that we decided to move to Kutch and it’s because of it that we are meeting different people and visiting some places around.

When we have been to Tunda to visit the design school created by Kala Raksha, we had the nice surprise to meet Jody Farter, the women who started this project 16 years ago. With her we could talk about so many things and understand better the actions of the cooperative in this area.

She also introduced us to the design class, talking to the students and looking at their creations, we sympathized with Shakil, a young batik printer and painter from Mundra who invited us to have a look at his workshop... Another reason to go there!

Ahmedabad (India) to Bhuj (India)

2009-07-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

Distance: 415Km
Departure: 10/06/09
Arrival: 11/06/09

After a nice dinner with Kunjan and Alex, we took a sleeper bus toward Bhuj, there we arrived the morning after at 7:30.We had to walk more than 3 hours before to find a guesthouse suitable for us, accommodation are more expensive than in the south and there are less facilities than in other parts of the State but with our big backpacks in Kunjan house to move all around was easy.

Walking in small streets in the centre of Bhuj in the early morning we had the feeling to discover another India, every 5 meter somebody was saying us with a smiles on the lips “good morning” and nobody try to sell us something. Apart for the weather, too hot in this period, our days in Bhuj were shanty and pleasant. From Bhuj we also moved to other villages around for one day trip.

In Sumerasar, 25Km far away from the capital city, we have been visiting a cooperative, Kala Raksha, working with craft workers for the preservation of art and traditions of the region and in Bhujodi another one called Shrujan with the same aims. In both places we had the chance to see worker realize different kind of craftworks in tissue and we learned so many things about the different local communities.
In Ajarakhpur we meet the famous Dr. Ismail Mohammad specialized in block printing and also there we could see people realizing marvellous sari and find out more about his family’s tradition.

For sure it was cool to meet people and get new tips about techniques and traditions, a different way to travel and discover a country.

Benaulim (India) to Ahmedabad (India)

2009-07-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

Distance: 882Km
Departure: 08/06/09
Arrival: 09/06/09

To reach Ahmedabad we spent 23 hours on a train... In useless to say that it was a full immersion in typical Indian trains life: mix of generations, mix of smells, mix of sounds... and mix of Indian curiosities!

Once arrived at the train station, we contacted Kunjan, a young leather designer and member of Couchsurfing living there. We spent with him and his family 3days, they suggest us to meet Mohammed, one of the best "rickshaw guide driver" of Ahmedabad and with him we could visit the most important city sights in a one full day! To visit the Gandhi Ashram was an interesting experience, it is a place rich of information about this peaceful and respectable personage...

After this day, we came back home tired and full of emotions!

Later than we choose to move to the region called Kutch, curious to visit this area so close to the Pakistani border and famous for craftworks.

Patnem (India) to Benaulim (India)

2009-06-07T05:06:00.000-07:00

Distance: 55Km
Departure : 03/06/09
Arrival : 03/06/09

At the begining we tought to stop in Colva but once there we understood that it is a place where accomodations are really expencive and the environment remind a tipical touristic place full of resorts and chic restaurants. We moved in Benaulim and after less than half an hour we were already in a cut place, a big house with an huge garden...and for 100Rs only!

The raining season arrived and day after day everything started to take another aspect, humid, grey, windy and more fresh.

We met Prakash, a young guy who left Nepal 3 years ago because of political problems with China army... During this time he had been working in different place but now " I have to go back in my country and do something over there..." as he said.

Gokarna (India) to Patnem (India)

2009-06-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

Distance: 87Km
Departure : 31/05/09
Arrival : 31/05/09

It was difficult to leave Gokarna after more than 3 weeks...but the state of Gujarat (down to Rajasthan) was waiting for us so... we had to move!
We moved to Madgaon in the company of Milosh. With him we got a cheap accomodation and for 4 days we enjoy together our stay over there.

Nothing special...just relax! At last Milosh left the place to Delhi and, waiting for the train to Ahmedabad, we choosed to move to Colva.

Patnem (India) to Gokarna (India)

2009-06-07T05:02:00.000-07:00

Distance: 87Km
Departure : 07/05/09
Arrival : 07/05/09

The departure was from Canacona, closer train station to Patnem and place where we met Yuta, a Japanese traveller going also to Gokarna.
We decided to move together and once in the holy village we had to walk 30min between rock fields and hills to reach Kudle, a small beach really shanty...

After a difficult night, disturbed by any kind of insects and hot temperature, we choose to move in family house on the beach and there we got a small hut made in mud with palm leaves roof... a marvellous place! We stayed there one week; it was a good break to enjoy the sea side and to have quite days. We could celebrate the birthday of Vale with a nice dinner, mango lassi, thali, veg. raïta, chocolate balls and some beer...

After some days, once we had eaten all the coconuts around us, we choose to live the beach and to move in the village. Mabla House was our next place, near the fisherman area and close to the Rama temple. Yuta left the morning after to Hampi and we met again Marc, an Irish guy who suggested us to get a room there.

The day after Milosh, a painter from Canada join us and with him we moved in another where we spent more than 10 days. It was nice to meet different travellers and spend some time with...

For sure Gokarna is an interesting place to visit, beaches over there are less overcrowded than Goa's one and the spirit of India is still preserved.

Mumbai (India) to Patnem (India)

2009-06-07T05:01:00.000-07:00

Distance: 393Km
Departure : 01/05/09
Arrival : 01/05/09

Nothing is better than spend a night in the Konkanyan Expresa, a night train to reach Goa from Mumbai. We choose to stop in Patnem just 2km far away from Palolem but smaller and quieter. Nothing special about this place, over there just houses, empty shops and bars ready to close. For the food we had to move to Chaudi or to the famous Palolem beach...of course, even it is low season, over there no lack of tourist.

Dubai (United Arabs Emirats) to Mumbai (India)

2009-05-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

Distance: 1937Km
Departure : 28/04/09
Arrival : 28/04/09

After 3 months and 9 days... We are in India!

Our arrival time was at 4 o'clock, come back to India was like go back home, a great moment after more than 3 months on the road. India is hot but after Bandar Abbas and Dubai, we are quite used to it; our hoster was waiting us home when we arrive. Pre-paid taxi to Ville Parle and in a while we look at us and...We were in India!!!

Mumbai was not amazing, like all the time, but thanks to Vijay our great hoster; it was a quiet and lovely stop, a full immersion in the Indian culture a good way to carry on the trip...

Bandar Abbas (Iran) to Dubai (United Arabs Emirats)

2009-05-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

Distance: 241Km
Departure : 27/04/09
Arrival : 27/04/09

Dubay was a funny & particular stop, there we met two nice guy, Mureed & Fadi, our hosters, and with them we had a bite of the amazing capital of Emirates. In a few hours they try to show us around as much as possible, we joke a lot about arabic traditions and funny stories tipical of their culture and the morning after, not more than 3 hours, they drop us at the airport and we start the countdown to India.

This time nobody checked us but on the way to go the police stop us for an hour to control in case we had brought drugs from Iran.

They piss us off a lot but at last no present for them :)

Tehran (Iran) to Bandar Abbas (Iran)

2009-05-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

Distance: 1338Km by train
Departure : 22/04/09
Arrival : 23/04/09

Also our leaving wasn't without pains, till the end Teheran was impossible for us and once on the train we told ourself we'll never come back here! The day in wich we got our visas we had to go and come back to the Indian Embassy two times from Tajrich Square at 6pm we were back home with our passports ready waiting for Maziar coming to take the keys. At half past seven we left Tajrich on a bus for the railway station. We got there just before the departure but there wasn't any availability and we had to sleep at the station waiting for the train next day at noon.

The day after we got a train with a jung family a guy and an old woman and after a long way we got to Bandar Abbas. The way is more than amazing, it's like to cross the desert and some desolate old villages towards the south, everything was more and more yellow and the sad immagine of Teheran was already far...

Danial cames to picked us up at the desert railwys station of Bandar Abbas. In his house we have been very well nourished with iranian food for 3 days by his great mother and we had interesting and funny conversations with is father. With him and his brother we have been all around, we meet their friends and we enjoyed a lot our fast but intense staing together.

Danial left us at the airport and wait until we left.

ONE DAY IN CHALOS

2009-05-22T05:51:00.000-07:00

When we left Teheran to Chalos was already noon. At the beginning we try to hitchhike but with the illegal taxi all around was impossible and for half
of our money we got a bus to the village near the Caspian sea.

Once there other illegal taxi-drivers try to bring us in "villa?" "hotel?" "dalia?" but we replyed "pool na daram, we haven't got any money" and in that moment start our adventure in Chalos. In they're mind we we're quite lost, we told them "pool na daram, sleep dalia" and they decided to help us. One of them brought us to the City Hall to find a solutions. There some people checked our passports and after some explainations they found us an accomodation for the night for free and they told us to go back there the morning after...

In this guesthouse on the beach we could smoke nargile for free and have some food and the morning after, when we went back to the city all people there brought us to the bus stand payed tickets and gave some money to us. We didn't want to take money but wasn't possible to refuse and in less than 24h we were already on the way back ringing at the bell of Maziar...

Tabriz (Iran) to Tehran (Iran)

2009-05-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

Distance: 528Km by train
Departure : 04/04/09
Arrival : 05/04/09

Train thicket to Teheran it cost just 4euro and trains are clean and confortable. We had god co-voyagers, we shared food and impressions about Iran it was an interesting cultural comparaison... Once in Teherean we found out that we had to cross all the city by bus before to meet Maziar, our hoster and in a couple of days we understood that maybe our stay there would be longer than we thought.

For a couple of weeks we got depressed in the big capital city, we just went to climb the mountain in Teheran, have some food in Maziar parent's house, share some cooking knowledge with them...

Visa's job took more than 20 days and in that time we couldn't move, we could just reach Chalos for one day and go back to Teheran waiting for visas.

Urmia (Iran) to Tabriz (Iran)

2009-05-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

Distance: 124 km by bus
Departure : 04/04/09
Arrival : 04/04/09

We moved to Tabriz by local bus and we found out than in Iran transports are chipper than food. In Tabriz we spendt a couple of days, there is a nice local bazar to visit and some interesting Mosques. The town is quite big but in the central area one can find most of the interesting city sites to see.

People are friendly and to find a local guide for free it's really easy!

Mardin (Turkey) to Urmia (Iran)

2009-05-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

Distance: 380Km by bus and hitchhiking
Departure : 30/03/09
Arrival : à 01/04/09

We left Mardin under a beautiful sun, our friend Nurullah left us near a main road that bring to Batman, first city to reach before to get to Van. To hitchhike in that area is quite easy, in less than 2 hours we changed 2 car and we were already 50km far from our fist pit stop. On the way we got an invitation for lunch in the house of one of the man who pick us up on the way. We stopped for a coupple of hours in a small village in the middle of nothing called Türkmenhacı where houses are made in mud and thatching. After a good turkish meal we were on the road fast to reach Van before the night.

Two curdish man brought us in Batman and there we couldn't find anymore cars to get to Van. Some people welcomed us in a Curdish cultural center, they showed us around and another guy invited us in his sister house to spend some time with his family all. Even Batman is not such an architectural interesting place our staing there was pleasant. At 11.30 p.m. we got a bus to Van, after a terrible night we got there and instead to stop we decided to get to Iran.

The area near the border is marvellous, the road between mountains let us think to be lost and, apart of some scaring groups of people with guns all around, the way is interesting to visit. We got in Urmia in late afternoon, a guy help us to get a taxi and gave us some tips and food coz unfortunatly we hadn't any Rials. After a long walk we got an hotel and for a couple of days we couldn't move for 2 reasons : our credit cards we're unabilitated to withdrawal and because of islamic holidays all around was closed and no chace to do anything.

After this amazing welcoming in Iran we decided to change our last 50euro and to move to Teheran.

Ankara (Turkey) to Mardin (Turkey)

2009-04-26T11:33:00.000-07:00

Distance: 745 km by train and bus
Departure : 23/03/09
Arrival : 24/03/09

The way from Ankara to Mardin is quite long but, at the same time, it's really pleasant. Moving from Ankara to Mardin one have the feeling to be in another country, we discovered a new part of Turkey, far from the western part. Close to Iraqi border, Mardin is a multicultural place plenty of historical sites and old stonehouses.

Once there we tryed to meet Murat, a contact from Couchsurfing but at least we met Ahmid, a student working in a Coffee and his friend-boss, Nurullah, the owner of Ekin Coffee, invit us to stay in his place for the night... in the end we spent with them 7 days ! During this time we met a lot of people, Nurullah's friends and familly, we have been helping his father for some gardening work in his coffee, we have been hosted by Melika in Yalimköy, a small village near Mardin...a full immersion in the local life !

Overthere and after Vale, it was my turn to stay 3 days at bed with 38,6°C...
It was a very interesting experience before to leave Turkey because we surrounded by great people who belong to different cultures in a marvelous part of this country.

Kocukkoy (Turkey) to Ankara (Turkey)

2009-04-11T04:27:00.000-07:00

Kocaküy is a small village 10km far from Baba kale where our friends, Merih and Naf Naf, live. The place is not really interesting but it was cool and intriguing to had spent our time with this great people. A journalist and a craftman-artist together in a house full of cats (30!!!) and other animals...superfluous to say that the welcoming, also in this case, was great.

From there we walked with our big bag until another village nearby where we could get a lift until Balikeshire and from there a bus to Ankara. The journey in a night bus was like a nightmare and we got to Ankara more than tired.

Istambul (Turkey) to Baba kale (Turkey)

2009-04-11T04:15:00.000-07:00

Distance: 269Km
Departure : 06/03/09
Arrival : 07/03/09

Also in this case, to reach our destination was less easy than we tought at the beginning and it cost us one night in Balikeshire bus station.The morning after we got another bus till Ayvacic, the biggest village before to reach the western coast, and from there another one to reach Baba kale, the last village on the coast. We got there to work on the creation of an ecovillage called GARP but at last we just plant some olive trees and most of the time we lazed with other guests and Yannis, the hoster.

The way between Ayvacic and Baba kale is really captivating, the landscape is a typical mediterranean's one: olive trees, rocks, blue sea...amazing to visit in spring time but less pleasant in summer when the temperatures could reach 40°-45° degree. Not so far from some famous old historic ruins it is a fisherman village not really touristic and really nice to spend some days in peace or just to have nice walks all around.

People are really welcoming and even if we didn't speck any Turkish we could comunicate with everybody and learn some keywords and sentence really useful travelling in the country. Overthere we could meet nice people like Anna and Ivan, two russian guys wich we had good time and a nice walk in the naerest village with, Yousuf, also knowed like Housaïm (Mr.Camping) and Merih and Naf Naf, a marvellous couple that host us for one night in a village nearby, Kucukkoy.

Letovnik (Bulgaria) to Istambul (Turkey)

2009-04-11T04:01:00.000-07:00

Distance: 304km
Departure : 02/03/09
Arrival : 03/03/09

It was really hard to leave the peaceful company of Letvonic but travel is also this: to leave a place when you feel like at home...

The night on the train wasn't easy and realaxing like we tought it could be at the beginning of the jouney, language barriers and a lack of kindness in some bulgarian railway employers brought us to argue with a cheaf of a wagon who tryed to fire us out of the train once on the Turkish border and 20 euro of backshish to pay to the chief of the other wagon to let us stay there for the night.

Once in Istambul we housed in Haxan's flat, a nice apartment in Levent where he lives with a flatmate. Even if we spendt 3 days in Istambul this time we hadn't lots of chance to share the time with our hoster and we think it was a pity 'coz the first impression that he gave us was good.

Anyway, about Istambul we could write as much as we want and we think that we will not be able to say anything about it that wasn't already sayed by someone else. Beautyful, crowded, multietnic, fascinating, expencive...the old Costantinopolis is for shure a place to visit but we suggest to go along toward east to have a better idea of the country.

Plovdiv (Bulgaria) to Letovnic (Bulgaria)

2009-04-11T03:36:00.000-07:00

Distance: 102 Km by train
Departure : 22/02/09
Arrival : 22/02/09

By train to get to Letovnic from Plovdiv is a long way but at the same time, if you are not in a hurry and you have got the Balkan Flexi Pass, it could be a good choose to move (actually there isn't a train station in Letovnic but Monchilgrav is really close!).
In this magic place we spent 8 days, we have been there to help a guy, Dave, to build an ecohostel and it was an amazing experience...

Letovnic is located in a rural area whith a marvellous landscape, it counts just 30 inhabitants(wich nationality is Turkish and not Bulgarian) and it looks to be a perfect environment to develop a project like Dave's one.

If you have time we suggest you to go there to help him to build this place with love and peace! It could be also a chance to meet other interesting people, like Lara, but be careful, don't play with Sheffi and his Raki...it can cost you a very bad hangover!

You can have a look on his blog here.

After the silence...

2009-04-11T03:17:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,
After a long silence we come back to write. During this month so many things happened and it is difficult to talk about all our experiences. We had a marvelous time in all places we have been and with all peoples we met but it was not easy to carry on our project...anyway, we will keep on doing it until the end of the trip.

Sofia (Bulgaria) to Plovdiv/Karlovo (Bulgaria)

2009-03-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

Distance: 132Km by train and bus
Departure : 20/02/09
Arrival : 20/02/09

Plovdiv is a small and quite place, easy to visit in one day. Also there our hoster, Ralitsa, was a perfect guide and a nice and sensitive person to share so many things with. It was pleasant to spent our time together and it was cool to meet her family in Karlovo.

Overthere we could enjoy real bulgarian food,homemade compote and rakia and we also recived nice presents: socks in wool made by the grandma and some rakia to warm us up during the way... A nice walk under the snow before to return in Plovdiv and to move to Letovnic, where Ralitsa would like to join us...

Bucarest (Romania) to Sofia (Bulgaria)

2009-03-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

Distance: 403km by train
Departure : 18/02/09
Arrival : 18/02/09

The landscape from Bucarest to Sofia by train is not really attractive and, because of it, the journay could seem longer than it is.
Ivo, our hoster, came to pick us up at the station and in a few hours we were already absorbed in the night life of Sofia.

There are deep differencies between these two capital cities, Sofia is smaller and
warmer than Bucarest, not to much crowd and easy to visit. Ivo was a really good turistic guide, we spent together most of the time and it was really pleasant.
We talked about politics, art, history, cultural events...it was a very interesting meeting with a savvy and kind guy.

To be hosted in his house was a full immersion in the bulgarian culture also because through him we could meet another very nice person who hosted us in Plovdiv and Karlovo.

Sibiu (Romania) to Bucarest (Romania)

2009-03-06T14:44:00.000-08:00

Distance: 278 km by train
Departure : 16/02/09
Arrival : 16/02/09

"Same same but different" could be the right expression to use when one leave Transilvanya for Bucarest. All the beauty we had in that region was like evaporated when we reached the capital city wich is all but not nice.

Our hosted gave us some tips about how to make a fast but quite complete city tour of Bucarest and in a couple of days we were already satisfied with the grey building's colour and ready to run away toward Bulgaria.

Horia, our hoster, was kind with us...a good cook and an open mind person.

Apold (Romania) to Sibiu (Romania)

2009-03-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

Distance: 44 km by hitchhike/train
Departure : 14/02/09
Arrival : 14/02/09

After a long walk to reach Sighsoara, ended with a ride on a trap, we hitchhiked to Medias and from there we took a train to Sibiu.

In this small town we met Liviu, David's friend, and We housed in his brother's studio for two days. With him We spent two days exploring romenian touristic attractions (our hoster works in this envirorment!) and, at the same time, we met a kind girl, Ruxi, who was our guide in Sibiu.

For our living she brought us very good food, soup and salad, and she also help us to buy the most clever things a traveller could have moving all around east Europe: the Balkan Flexi Pass. It's really useful coz not all the people working in the train understood yet how does it works so...

A word is enough to the wise!

Cluj-Napoca (Romania) to Apold (Romania)

2009-03-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

Distance: 113Km by train
Departure : 13/02/09
Arrival : 13/02/09

We had been travelling with two romenian couple, on the way we shared pictures and smiles, some apples for us...a gift for the travellers full of positive energy, a gesture able to touch our souls.

Once in Sighisoara, a small medieval village with colorfull houses, we had a rest in an italian restaurant and after we hitchhike...to Apold were we met David and other people. We visited a marvellous old church and had a rest in an old house self-managed, CasApold. Sarah and Christina choosed to create an ecologic hostel, a place to develop some cultural and social actions...You can contact them here.

Budapest(Hungary) to Cluj-Napoca(Romania)

2009-02-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

Distance : 472 km by bus
Departure : 06/02/09 at 14:00
Arrival : 06/02/09 at 23:00

To get from Budapest to Cluj was a long way but, lucky, this time Orangeways allowed us to use the toilet ! From the gara to the house we had to take a taxi (wich is a common thing in Romania but less usual for us!) and we had a turn around Cluj: big city, more attractive with a daily light than in night time.

Razvan, our hoster, lives with his mother and the granmother, all the family is acquainted with languages, botanic stuff and...they know how to cook the best Romanian food that we ever had!

The first day was sunny, we could enjoy a walk in the forest and met Kristina. In the evening we had a creative party with other couchsurfers: a warm welcome for the travellers! All the people were making some handicrafts because Razvan and Kristina are preparing a second Homemade Fair in April... You can get more information about it on Razvan blog, really nice project !

We spent almost all the time of our days in Cluj at home. Ana, the granmother, thought us how to make socks, how to cook some Romanian stuff and, when I was sick, she took care of me only like a grandmother is able to do it.

We could also record her talking about her life:an oral history interview about a migrant's life who moved from Latvia to Germany and settled in Romania, between the Second World War and the communist dictaturship...really interesting and impressive.

Graziana, her doughter, is also an amazing woman. Before our leave they made us a beautiful present - a card with poems and a language book for learning Romanian...really kind of them!

Thanks for your hospitality...we will never forget it!!!

During these 7 days in Cluj, we met also David (brother of Elias, the Rohr family) and Szende. On our first night with Razvan he said "Yes! I know David and he will be there tomorrow night!" ... things like this can happen!
Everything was connected and inevitable ... Vale's camera arrived at David house (Olivier sent it from Austria to Romania and also another parcel with chocolate,merci!!!!!) and at last we recovered it!

We were planning to move to Sighisoara, a medieval town located 100km from Cluj, but Vale stayed 2 days in bed with a strong fever ... after that We could reach David in Apold, a small village 15 km away from Sighisoara.

A piece of story...

A shape...

2009-02-11T13:17:00.000-08:00

It's already 3 weeks that we are on the way to India and slowly slowly things take forms ... It is difficult sometimes to implement our project, we are passing through various daily lifes, families, works, studies and other occupations. It is in this context that we are trying to build these stories. Day after day we find out that contributions are often spontaneous and that we become more sensitive to each sharing.

All things have a story *...

You can find some creations and contributions collected during the meetings in the album CREATIONS.

* In connection, a short video explaining the life cycle of objects ...

THE STORY OF STUFF with Annie Leonard

Intersections...

2009-02-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

Before to leave we organised, with 2 associations (Images Seconde and Manoalia) a photographies exhibition in Fosses (France) with a collectif called Intersections.

You can find more information on www.intersections-photo.org

Now we would like to export this exposition to different countries...so we choose to continue promotion everywhere...

Wien (Austria) to Budapest (Hungary)

2009-02-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

Distance : 243 km by bus
Departure : 0 3/02/09 at 14:00
Arrival : 03/02/09 at 17:00

Travel with Orangeways : nice free hot drinks… less nice cannot use the toilet on the bus(wich is common in this route !!!)

Once in the city, we house in a flat not so far from the center were easy-going people welcomed us in a friendly way, we met Oliver and Bianca, but the owner,Bàlint, wasn't here... After less then half an hour we were already cooking pasta for them and chatting about how to spend our time in Budapest.

,We walked all around the city and enjoyed a bird's-eye view of it from Citadella.
The last night in the house we met other couchsurfers from Canada and France.
It was really interesting a meeting with one flatemate, Bàlint, who gave us the possibility to record him playing the guitar.

A piece of story...

Bianca said us a maxims about food in Hungary, "People eat all what ever they find all around the house!"

At least we didn't try Hungarian food,
but she gave us the recipe of Hungarian "Ratatouille" called Lecsó,
it looks like good...

Softly by Bàlint Takàcs

Rohr im kremstal (Austria) to Wien (Austria)

2009-02-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Distance : 170km by hitchhiking
Departure : 02/02/09 at 11.00
Arrival : 02/02/09 at 13h00

To go from Rohr to Wien was quite easy : we travelled with a german man, Hanz, until the airport and from there a train to get to the center...fortunatly we had bought a ticket ...someone check it !!!

Ones in Wien we have been looking for a bar with wi-fi but it wasn't easy to find so we decided to stop in a small place called GRILL CAFE « FANTASY »... a place to descover...a piece of est-europe...

Came back to Olivier and Moona house was nice, I had such a good feeling, I felt like « go back home »... it was a warm welcome for the second time ! Olivier is a person wich you can share the silence with, someone able to let you feel comfortable without say so many words...just with simple gestures and their house talk about it.

It is a small flat very well setted, a place where the lack of space is not a problem...just a way to share more in semplicity. Even if he was working on his thesis we could share nice moments : meals, documentaries, music and interesting conversations. During these days just one problem couldn't leave me : Fabien and him were acting like in a french movie, french was the cheese, french the humor, in french the conversations...pfffff...a real nightmare without a way out !!! fortunately, after two months in France I'm strong enought to survive in this kind of environment !!!(ça c'est ne pas vraie, j'aime bien la France!)

It was a pity that we couldn't spend time also with Moona because the first feeling when we met her was positive: pretty and lively girl, with a good humor and spontaneous in the way to be.

I want to cook more for them and walk in natural place...share a path...maybe in INDIA ...

A piece of story...

Olivier sent us a track played with his handmade didgeridoo.

Wien (Austria) to Rohr im kremstal (Austria)

2009-02-08T13:19:00.001-08:00

Distance : 170km by hitchhiking
Departure : 28/01/09 at 14h
Arrival : 28/01/09 at 21h30
Particular sign : We start hich- hicking and close us there was a woman who was looking at us laughing ...

To arrive to Rohr was really hard but, at the same time, a funny adventure. We start to hitchhicking outside the last metro stop on the U4 ( Hütteldorf). Thinking that Rohr was near « St. Pölten » we wrote down this name on the sign and just after 10 minutes the first van stop.
We got on it and in one hour the driver, Oliver who was ending his shift at work, drop us off in a caffe near the highway A1 coz thanks to him we found out that
our destination was much more far than how we tought at the beginning.

«Ansfelden » was written on our second handmade indication, after a walk under
After 3 hours standing outside a petrol station asking ourself why people were laughing reading our 3rd sign , we could get on a car and this time our driver, Harald, who was already in late to reach his family, decided to bring us to our destination and in half hour we could be there ! Once there we met the family, we had a nice hot pumpkins soup and we could sleep like children in a confortable bed.

Christian is painter and works in an artistic and educational workshop in a cultural center called KUNST UND KULTUR. Cathy
is also a social worker. We talked a lot about arts, travels, cooking...
They have a really open mind.

Our days in Rohr were really cool : long walk in natural places, ski, good food and nice conversations with our hosters. We had shared so many things with all of them, we felt like at home...we was at home.One evening we made indian food for everybody and was funny an Elias (the youngest son) sentence : «I feel like a guest...I feel like at home » ...well, what to ask more ???

We spent there 4 days and say goodbye to them wasn't easy... Cathy made for us a nice bag with nuts and dried apples for the trip and Christian left us near the A1 at the petrol station for hich-hike.

It was strong ... we will come back there, it's sure !!!

Prague (CZ) to Wien (Austria)

2009-02-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

Distance : 346Km by bus
Departure : 25/01/09 at 10h30
Arrival : 25/01/09 at 15h30

10:30 - Bus Station Florenc - Prague
Back to the bus station Florenc in Prague to take a bus to Brno and Vienna in Austria to join ... We take the pleasant beauty of a campaign Austrian ground black coal mixed with white light snow cover by green when a fragile and timid in this season. We cross the Danube. The buildings are replacing the trees.

15:30 - LANDSTRASSE Station - Vienne
Here we are in Vienna, Austria feet. Little time to soak. The head elsewhere.
"Olivier & Mona, near the station Hütteldorferstrabe line U3 (orange). French and Austrian, this young couple we suggested we host a few days.
U2 line (red) to reach line U3 (orange). It does not look very complicated.

16h - Ocean's 14 - Hütteldorferstrabe
Small break in a bar to find an internet point and take 2 beers ... Olivier joins us, they live in 2 steps. 3rd Floor, Gateway says a lot, India work here, too ...Mona welcomes us.

Waking up after a good night.

This young couple is very welcoming and symphatique. We often talked about India, also have a certain attachment to this country and after several trips there, they would also like to go by road ... Olivier is very sensitive to manual work, he carried out various things that I let you discover on his blog.

Ballads in the streets of Vienna ... and pasting Intersections stickers.

Mona & Oliver advises us to go "Der Wiener Deewan" a small Pakistani restaurant ... We pay what we want and the food is very good. "Good food, good mood" were tested and approved!

Unfortunately not have not had the pleasure of sharing more with Mona, who has absent from our passage in Vienna. We leave Olivier but just for a few days because we are going to have to get back The camera of Vale*, forgotten in the car of Kris in France ... it was sent here by mail.

Namashkar Oliver & Mona!

The camera of Vale* : a long story...

Pragua (CZ) to Jablonec nad Nisou (CZ)

2009-02-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

Distance : 105km by bus
Departure : 22/01/09 at 9.45
Arrival : 22/01/09 at 11.00

At Jablonec n. Nisou bus station a funny face with big blue eyes was waiting for us. His name is Vaclav, Marie's husband, they was our second hosters. Jablonec is a small village in the dinstrict of Liberec, 100km far from Praha, near the border with Poland and Germany.

Overthere we could enjoy winter’s sport, breath pure air and...play like kids with kids. If one wants to get inside the culture of a country the best way is to be hosted by families.

The first good aspect is connected with the food: in a family is possible to taste delicious local dishes very well done and also learn how to make them.Another aspect is people's knowledges about local sites and the possibilities to visit them easily. After that one could talk about all other kind of human sharing otherwise difficult to live.

We had a great time overthere.
It was cool meet the 3 years old family's nepew , Kacenca, with whom we played for two days and it was also nice visit an elementary school in the village and play on the snow with so many kids. An interesting moment was the meeting with Ivana Houserová, a glass designer also teacher in a local school. Thanks to Vaclav we could reach her house and visit her workshop. It was nice talk with her about so many different argouments and see the light in her eyes when she was telling us about the glass and the feeling that this material give to her. Ivana is a charming woman...We'd like to know her better...and lern more about her art.

The last nice things we could do in Jablonec was drive small planes made by Vaclav. We felt him really proude of his creations and anxious to show us how them works... he was like a child in a grandfather's body... great !!!

At the bus station he waited the bus living before to go...simply lovely.

A piece of story

How to make a kite...by Valclaz.

He used it to play with children of the school of Jablonnec during the summer.

Recipes for czech "knedlik" and "strudel"

Czech "knedlik" (dumpling):
0,5 kg hrube mouky
lzicka soli
1 vejce
drozdi (cca 5g)
mleko
spetku soli
2 rohliky nebo housky

Smichame mouku, vejce, vykynuty kvasek, nakrajene rohliky (housky), mleko, sul a vypracujeme tuzsi testo. Po vykynuti vytvorime 2 valecky a varime 15-20min.

Strudel
40 dkg hladke mouky
8 lzic vody
1 lzice octa
25 dkg tuku
2 vejce, spetka soli

Vypracujeme testo a dame odpocinout pod kastrol.
Rozdelime na 3 dily, kazdy vyvalime na obdelnik a naplnime nastrouhanymi jablky, pocukrujeme, poprasime skorici a pridame rozinky.
Stocime strudel a dame peci.

Have a pleasant journey!!!
Bon voyage!!!
Stastnou cestu!!!

Yours sincerely
Marie & Vaclav

To get recipes in english clic here.

Paris (France) to Pragua (CZ)

2009-02-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

Distance : 1045km by bus
Departure : 19/01/09 at 16h
Arrival : 20/01/09 at 5h30
Particular sign : Rainbow on the road
« We know the way » written on truck in highwaystation

We left a londoner's weather at the bus station in Paris (after all, in this part of the world there aren't big mood differencies !!!) but soon, once on the highway, an amazing rainbow led off to our trip.

Once in Praga we had the marvellous idea to have breackfast at the bus station and we decide to get a taste of local food. The shape was nice, round like a full moon, and the smell also but in a while we found out one of the rules of the travellers :
NEVER TASTE SOMETHING UNIDENTIFIED AT 5 .45 IN THE MORNING...you will keep it with you for a long long time.

Our hoster has been waiting us at home until we finished our first tour all around a periferic area in Praga...ya, we got lost once there but, also in this case, we learn something called the 2nd rules of the traveller :
IF SOMEONE GIVE YOU WRITTEN INDICATION ABOUT HOW TO REACH HIS HOUSE MAKE SURE TO READ IT !!!

Anyway, After those two nice experiences everything took another colour : during the day nice hikes all around the Czech capital city and, in the evening, relaxing dinner at home with our hoster, Eliska.

It was funny to be in a unknown house and do things that one usually do in daily life like cooking, take a shower, wash clothes...

Eliska welcome us in a marvellous way...no words to thanks her...

A piece of story

After we left Pragua, Eliska sent us a marvelous draws of Vale...

Tree meditation by Eliška Hejduková

The project...

2009-02-08T05:50:00.000-08:00

Let’s shape our stories!

Or the itinerary of a trip "told" by the hand of another.

Shaping: Giving something a particular form.

Let’s shape our stories! recounts a trip to India through Eastern Europe, seen through different perspectives and various creative means of expression (writing, drawing, painting, sculpture, storytelling, audio interview, video, music ...).

During the journey, there is a space of creation and expression available for artists, artisans and all persons encountered in different countries. They will give their views on the usefulness of a travel book, more importantly; they can contribute and testify in their own authentic way, and thus enrich this meeting between travelers and local. This project will build a route of the rhythm of the cultures and know-hows.

Who?
MANOALIA , an association based in Chaumontel (France) consisting of fifteen members, including two members that travel presently- Valentina Barraco and Fabien Leclaire, who are the ambassadors of the project. All people that get interested in the project during their journey and can devote some time to involve in it, and have some time to contribute to the project in any way, are considered participants.

What?
An interactive journal, a blog for publication and exchange of information with various content: (articles, interviews, photographs, films, comments ...)

How?
Collecting any kinds of artistic and/or personal contribution - letters, draws, paints, musical compositions, writings, oral stories, etc. - that interprète the meeting of différent cultures to talk about the meeting.

Why?
Promoting exchanges between different cultures ;
Promoting local artists and artisans ;
Valuing creation and artistic expression of every types;
Introducing local people, met during the trip, to a project of creating a place for exchange and creation;

Contacts :
Email : contact@manoalia.org
Site : http://www.manoalia.org