Look for inspiration

We learned about most of the interesting places in the world during geography, history andvart lessons.vTelevision and the Internet even flood us with information, and in bookstores wevwill find a lot ofvguides describing every corner of the globe. All the time, however,vit is worth looking for these lesser known locations.

Instagram is full of photos of popular tourist places, but not only.. Very soon you will find destinations that you have never heard of before and you will want to see them live. It is enough if you periodically review the photos proposed by the application. You can also start observing popular travelers and photographers. And when you have more specific preferences, just enter a specific term in the search engine. It can be quite wide, like mountains, a lake or even travel. (We will get more results by entering words in English.)

Find something unusual

Are you planning a trip to a very popular place, but would like to see something more than typical tourist attractions? In this situation, Instagram can also be helpful. Check the photos from the location. Do not be discouraged by a large number of selfies – sometimes you have to look a little longer, but you will definitely find some interesting place that is not mentioned in the guide.

Check where to eat

Pictures of food are certainly the most ridiculed by everyone, and the hashtag “foodporn” is one of the Instagram symbols of heaviness. The truth is, however, that these pictures will help you the most in planning your trip. Good food is a great pleasure, and good local food is a pleasure Double. During my holidays, I try not only to visit new places, but also to get to know new flavors. I usually only have a few days to do this, so I prefer to avoid mistakes. While still at home, I prepare a list of places with the address, the type of cuisine served and information whether I want to eat breakfast, dinner there, or maybe just drop by for coffee. This allows us to save a lot of time and nerves during the holidays. Remember how you recently ran around a crowded city at lunchtime, looking for a nice restaurant with an attractive menu at affordable prices. Search the app through hashtags that connect the place to the food, such as: #cracowrestaurant, #cracowfood, #breakfastincracow etc.

Ask

The power of social media is the people who use it. Instagram isn’t just about accessing countless photos. The application also gives you the ability to send messages. Of course, most often we use it to comment on a friend’s relationship. But why not ask an expert for advice when we have so many of them at hand? If any photos particularly catch your attention, go to the author’s profile. He probably lives in the place you are going to or has recently visited it. Ask, maybe he will recommend something interesting, and maybe even show you around the city. If we want a quick answer, it is worth writing to several people. If someone has a lot of followers or doesn’t use the app often, they may just miss our message.

Save

If we only like a photo that we like, it will be difficult for us to find it later. Fortunately, we have the ability to save them easily. This is possible thanks to the marker on the right side below the image. In the “saved” tab on our profile, we can create folders that will allow you to conveniently categorize our inspirations. Even if you prefer to keep your photos in family albums and not show them on the Internet, it is worth practically using the capabilities of this application.

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How to plan a trip by yourself?
Are you going on vacation and want to see something more than the hotel swimming pool at an all-
inclusive trip? Do you find organized tours to restrictive for your taste? Are you being tempted to
buy some of the super-cheap plane tickets, but you’re afraid planning your trip will be too much for
you to manage? If you’re sure planning your own trips is the best way to do it, here’s a few tips on
how to do it properly and keep your sanity intact.
Choose a destination
Bargain hunters can skip that part – we’ll talk about them later ;). Most of us have a couple of dream
places to visit, or even a whole checketlist, be it the Great Wall of China or the Trevi Fountain.
Perhaps you’d like to spend a romantic weekend in Verona, drive around Georgia or simply relax at
the Turkish Riviera. Or maybe you’re on a tight budget and all you can afford is to go camping near
the lakeside?
Set your trip budget
It doesn’t mean you have to make a costs list and stick to it no matter what. On the contrary, the goal
is to enjoy your trip without a guilt trip – and to avoid any unpleasant surprises, Before you go, be
sure to check how much are the plane tickets and rooms for the night. Food prices and museum
admission fees are also important, as are souvenirs. If you sum it up, the total cost can surprise you.
Sometimes you’re in for a pleasant surprise – there are a lot of places you can visit for a minimum
price. Choose a place you can afford without struggling too much.
Book a date
Most of us are unable to get a few days off just like that. Longer trips (more than 2-3 days) have to
be planned in advance – you have to take into account both your job and your friends’ schedule. It’s
good to check which time of the year is the most attractive for visiting your chosen destination.
Check the weather forecast, because even the cheapest flight won’t make up for a week of walking
around in pouring rain, while sightseeing in extreme heat can turn out to be virtually impossible.
Remember that accommodation tend prices hike up during special events like the Carnival in
Venice or the Queen’s Day in Amsterdam. Make sure there are no events like that around the time of
your planned excursion. Unless of course, you’d like to see them.
NOTICE: Check all your documents! It’s easy to forget about you passport expiry date, especially
nowadays, when we seldom use our passports. It’s good to figure it out beforehand, so that you have

plenty of time to get a new document.
Decide on your method of transport and book tickets
A change of plans is easy if there are no costs involved yet. Once you buy tickets, your trip
becomes a reality. Before you spend your money, take your time to choose the best method of
transport.
If it’s a long journey, planes are your best option, but if it’s not that far, a train might be a better
choice. It’s not just about environment issues, but also time and comfort. Train stations are usually
in the city center, so we can avoid wasting our time on finding transport from the terminal to the
city. On top of that, all you need is to get to the station 15 minutes before the train departs, as there’s
no need to check your luggage.
If you’re planning to do a lot of sightseeing, you might consider going by car. It will give you the
opportunity to see some interesting places on your way and you can take more baggage with you.
Be sure to have a spare driver, even if you like driving a lot yourself.
If the route takes just a few hours, a bus could be a good choice. Of course, provided that a night
spent in a bus won’t ruin your trip. However, if you can sleep in any conditions, just like me, it
means you can go from Warsaw to Vilnius for as much as you’d pay for a pint of beer in Cracow.
If you go by plane, take these things into consideration:

• elastic people pay less – if it’s not imperative, taht you spend your anniversary in Paris and
  nowhere else, check all the places you can visit for less. Or if you have a dream place to visit, check
  out the dates, when it’s cheaper to travel there.
• basic ticket price includes only your hand baggage and there are often serious size restrictions.
• once you pay for your luggage, it may turn out that the regular carrier charges just as much and
  there’s a meal included.
• the costs of getting to the airport can be bigger than flight costs
• night flights aren’t always a great idea
• online check-in is absolutely free
  Take care of yourselves
  Your well-being is the most important. Find out if you need to get vaccines before you go and if it’s
  enough to get only recommended vaccines. Be sure to bring some medicine you can use during
  your trip.
  Buy an insurance! It’s often a requirement if you visit countries with visas. If it’s not mandatory, it’s
  still a good idea to get an insurance. While reading the terms, pay attention to exclusions from

insurance. It’s very important, especially if your planning on doing extreme sports. The insurance
sum should be adequate to healthcare costs in the country you’re visiting. It’s best if you never have
to use it, but as always, prevention is better than cure.
Make a „To See” list
Whether you’re going on a city break or a tour, it’s good to jot down the places you want to visit and
divide them into ones you absolutely must see and those you can check out, if there’s enough time.
Based on that you can estimate, what you can do and decide beforehand, which attractions you
could skip if need be. It’s a good method if you’re going in a larger group – you can check what
people want and split up the group some day, so that everyone sees what they want. If it’s a tour,
you can always work out a compromise. It’s the perfect time to read some guides (which you can
get from your local library), read some travelling blogs and check out the offers provided by a travel
agent.
Set a route
Browns through your ‘To See’ list. Check all the opening hours – you don’t want to end up
activating your discount card on a day, when the most important museums are closed. Mark those
places on your map. Google Maps might come in handy – you can share the route map with your
travelling companions. You don’t have to run from one attraction to the other, checking the watch
every single minute. But you wouldn’t want to miss anything you wanted to see. It’s good to have
some spare time left in case you want to relax on the beach or you miss your bus. It’s best if you
settle for a minimal trip schedule that you can expand, if time and your will allows it.
Book places to stay
It might seem strange, that this one’s so low on this list. Although I prefer to book my
accommodation early on, so that I can relax without worrying about it, I only book my rooms once I
know where I’m going and what’s the plan for the trip. Perhaps you’d like to spend a night in
Warsaw when going to Mazury or you want to change your accommodation every few days while
touring around Cyprus instead of spending the whole trip in one city? You should adapt your
accommodation to your sightseeing plan, not the other way around. I won’t give you specifics here
– it depends on your budget and personal preferences. Remember though, that it’s better to pay
more for a well-situated hotel, than waste your time and money on transport. If a city is well
communicated, you might opt for the suburbs or even local towns. Find out if the reception desk
will be open when you get there. Be sure to ask if you can leave your luggage if you arrive before
your check-in or if you leave after you check out. Be sure to arrange it before you arrive.

Sometimes things that are simple for us can be a problem elsewhere, especially in a different
culture.
Find out, where you want to eat
Some people gain weight during holidays, others during vacation. I’m definitely in the latter group.
While my colleagues settle for one course meal, I get treated with soup, main course and – last but
not least – the dessert. My philosophy is – if I’m going someplace, trying out the local cuisine is as
important as visiting monuments and enjoying the sights. It’s an essential part of each country’s
culture. By discovering new tastes we get to learn more about a given country. Do some research on
what’s the region’s speciality, what should you order in a restaurant and what you should buy at a
marketplace. Perhaps there’s something you could bring back home as gifts for your friends? If you
can’t speak the local language, be sure to note down the names of dishes you want to taste. It might
come in handy while ordering your meal. Make a list of places recommended by travelling blogs
and guides. You don’t have to visit them all, but once you’re hungry (or even hangry!) and in dire
need of a restaurant, your list might help you out a lot.
Pack your stuff
Every single time I swear I’ll pack my belongings earlier and always turn out doing it moments
before it’s time to go to the airport. But I always manage to do it. Perhaps it’s because after a while
you gain skills and instantly know what you might need. But if you’re not a „human whirlwind”, for
whom only life on the go has a meaning, then it’s best if you pack your things earlier. Go over your
trip plan once more and pack all the things you think might be useful. Take the clothes you like, so
that you feel comfortable during your trip. Try not to take too much. A friend of mine, who’s a
veteran traveller, advised me to take half the things and twice the money I intended to. Don;t panic
if you forget something. As long as you have your wallet and documents – you’ll manage just fine.
Tell your friends and family about your trip
It doesn’t mean you have to go on and on about your plans for vacation. But it’s best if your firends
and relatives know where you’re going. Today we have mobile phones and Internet, so you might
think it’s ridiculous, but it’s always good to tell someone about your plans. My mom used to
instantly forget the name of the country I told her I was going to, so I left her a note on the fridge,
with details about my flights and accommodation – just in case, so she can check it anytime.
Once you go through all these steps, all you need to do is enjoy your trip. If you think something is
unclear, let me know, I’ll be glad to answer your questions. I’m guessing for some of you it’s not a

problem to plan even a long and distant trip and you probably haven’t learned anything new from
this note. You might even think I forgot to mention something. If that’s the case – be sure to let me
know – you’ll be helping the less experienced travellers.
That’s it for today, hope you have some awesome trips!

The post How to organize a trip yourself? appeared first on Magdalena Dziedzic.

The flight

You can get to Georgia from Poland via Wizz Air flight (from Katowice, Wrocław and Warsaw) or via LOT airlines from Warsaw. If there’s no airport near you and you need to reach one first, it’s best to compare the flight timetables. The departure time probably won’t spoil your good mood for vacation, night flights back home, however, can be really tedious.

Accomodation

The capital offers a wide range of places to stay in – from cheap hostels to high class hotels. The popular tourist resort of Batumi also has many accomodations. Apart from that, we’ll have to use guesthouses, which are very popular in Georgia. It’s a good idea to take your time and browse through the offers, paying attention to any photos of the rooms and the building. The reason is simple. Although you can count on being greeted with a bottle of homemade wine or chacha (local pomace brandy) everywhere you go, some places can be poorly furnished and ill-kempt. I made such a poor choice while in Tblisi (that’s what happens, when you have too much to choose from!). Endeared by a photo of an elderly lady making homemade khinkali, I failed to read one information – the showers are in the loo (it’s hard to call it a proper bathroom!). There was a bright side though – we had the best food in Georgia. The night wasn’t great, as first I couldn’t sleep because of the owner, who snored like hell, and then because of my friends, who came back at dawn, all merry and inebriated. Nevertheless nowadays it’s an amusing story to tell. Other accomodations were top notch – no criticism there.

The language

Georgians have both their own language and alphabet – completely unlike any form of Latin or Cyrilic script. Most likely, you will not be able to learn it beforehand. This might cause a problem, if you want to find a bus at a crowded station, and all signs are in Geogrian. Our guide book proved invaluable, as it featured place names both in Latin and Georgian alphabet. Surreal as it may sound, it was much easier to point to a name on a map, then try to communicate in any language other than Georgian. English is of any use only in the capital. Outside of Tbilisi, you can only communicate in English in restaurants, museums and with some young people. It’s good to learn some basic phrases in Russian, especially, when you have to tell the taxi driver your destination and have to settle on a fare. Most Georgians are very social and talkative. I remember waiting with our taxi river, until his colleague arrives. He just wante to chat for a while, as he’s been driving two English tourists around for several days. Needless to say, they didn’t understand him. Bear in mind, that Georgia is a multi-cultural region with many language groups. In some regions you can meet many Chechenians, Armenians or Turks. Most of them speak Russian, though.

Cuisine

You can’t talk about Georgia without mentioning their rich cuisine. There’s no way you could regret eating something. Try anything you find. I reccomend trying the khacha puri wherever you go, as there are many regional variants. Meatlovers will surely adore the local mutton. Eating a khinkali is a challenge, as you have to be careful not to spill the broth inside – you can forget standard cutlery. For cheese connoiseurs Georgia will prove to be Heaven on Earth, as cheese is a staple of most local dishes, and marketplaces offer a wide variety. They go perfectly with a glass of wine. Another energizing drink around is the freshly squeezed pommegranate juice. This fruit is added to many dishes. Walnuts and eggplants are also popular. Coriander is the king of local spices – and Georgian coriander smells best. My favourite treat is the churchkhela, dubbed the Georgian Snickers. These are nuts on a thread, dipped in concentreted grape juice. And remember – it is a local custom to serve the men first in restaurants.

Transport

The marshrutka, or routed taxi cab is by far the best form of transport for greater distances. They are very cheap, which becomes a factor if you travel on your own or there’s only two of you. I wouldn’t recommend the faint-hearted to pay too much attention to the roads, as these – often ill- kempt – buses can go through extremly bumpy roads at top speeds. There are situations, where public transport is simply not an option – if you have a tight schedule, if it’s getting late (typically the last bus departs around 4 o’clock!) or you want to go somewhere, where only taxis can take you (usually it’s not far away, but it’s best to join another group of tourists, if you’re travelling alone). There were four of us, so we used taxis a lot, as they’re cheap once there’s more of you. Sometimes it turned out, they were cheaper then a marshrutka. It’s a perfect form of transport if it’s late, and it proved invaluable, whenever we felt like seeing a lot in one day and then get back to the starting point. We’ve decided it’s best to avoid those drivers, that approach us on their own, and instead look for those, that are calmly reading a newspaper, sitting by the wheel.

Places worth seeing

Bookstores offer tons of guides describing weekend tourist attractions in each city, but our goal was to see as much as possible within one week. People have different vacation priorities. It’s best to travel accordingly to your personal needs and interests, instead of treating guides like Gospel. Before setting out, I ask my fellow travelers, what would they like to see most, what can we skip and then use their opinions as reference, when creating our schedule. I organize it beforehand, so that my colleagues know what to expect. That way, they can prepare themselves – that includes finances. Most people were skeptical, when they saw the schedule. To put it bluntly, they thought I lost my mind. Fortunately, my travelling mates were more optimistic. Here’s the initial schedule. We’ve tweaked it during our stay in Georgia, especially in regard to the order of visiting different places.

Kutaisi

Most people I know, who visited this city, loved it very much. I fail to see why. There’s plenty of places more interesting, so there’s no point in wasting time here. A quick reconaissance after arrival or before you go back home is quite enough.

Gelati and Motsameta

Beautiful monasteries – less frequented by tourists, than other monastic sites will see later on.

Zugdidi

We’ve only passed it by .

Mestia

The sights on the way there were astounding and it only got better once we got there. We didn’t have time to visit Ushguli as well. It takes at least two days. I’d like to visit again, to spend a couple of days on mountain hiking.

Batumi

I have a soft spot for the song by the same name, as performed by a classic Polish pop group Filipinki. Nevertheless, I recommend that you skip Batumi altogether. If your plan is to spend your time in Georgia sunbathing by the sea, there are many better places to do this.

Akhaltsikhe

A well-conserved and renovated castle with great infrastructure. It’s more akin to typical European sight seeing. And they have a nice restaurant.

Vardzia

A cave monastery. Definitely worth seeing. Especially if it’s the first cave monastery we’ve ever seen. It is one of Georgia’s most popular tourist attractions. You need to have plenty of time and good stamina, if you want to see everything here.

Borjomi

A Georgian resort, it’s days of glory long gone by. But you can still feel its unique atmosphere. Nice people, great landscapes. Apart from that, there aren’t any tourist attractions around.

Gori

It’s more of a fun fact, than a tourist destination. In this very town, in the year 1878, Joseph Jughashvili – later known as Stalin – was born. His spirit is still omnipresent in Gori. The local museum features a collection of Stalin’s portraits and his personal belongings. A small fragment of the exhibition is dedicated to the victims of Stalin’s regime. There’s the train coach Stalin used on his way to the Yalta conference, as well as the house he was born in (now relocated to the museum grounds). There’s also a gift from Polish metalworkers – a wooden one, no less!

Uplistsikhe

For me, it’s one of the prettiest places in Georgia. Only about 6 miles from Gori, we can see a rock- hewn city, first founded in the 5 th century BC. It’s an interesting place, not only for fans of medieval architecture. But the best part of Uplistsikhe are its picturesque landscapes. Interestingly enough, there were no tourists.

Tbilisi

There’s something for everyone in Tbilisi, so it’s good to wander around in search of your own way. We got of our subway train too early, and since each person directed us in a different place, we decided to find some place with Internet connection, to google for the quickest route. We arrived at our hostel with a huge delay. At the bar, we were being served by an elderly lady, who sipped tea and played cards with her friend, when not tending to guests. A man sitting next to us joined our table and produced a bottle of chacha. We felt like repaying him the same way. Our elderly barkeep provided us with a snack – namely, a chocolate bar, while the liquor was being poured from a plastic bottle. Thus, we’ve spent the evening accompanied by a Georgian Afghan War veteran.

Telavi

The capital of the Kakheti region, famous for its wine. It becomes immediately apparent, that its inhabitants fare much better, than in other parts of Georgia. Everything is cleaner. We stayed here for the night, and although it was nice, I’d rather seek for shelter in the nearby town of Sighnaghi. The taxi driver we aproached next to the town hall was surrised, when he saw our planned route throughout the region. He admitted it’s the first time someone wanted to drive such a distance. After settling on a price for the ride, he took us everywhere we wanted and waited patiently, until we see everything. He also showed us the local winery, that we visited for a sampling of wines.

Sighnaghi

It’s one of my favourite places in Georgia. You just have to see it. It’s a lovely little town. I fell in love with the local food market. Unlike other markets we’ve seen elsewhere, this one was situated inside a building. We peeked into the gate, lured by a distinct herbal aroma, and left with bags full of cheese, sweets and wine.

Gelati, Nekresi and Gremi

I recommend seeing the nearby monasteries.

Mtskheta

It’s around 12 miles drive from Tblisi. You can get there cheap via marshrutka. I’d recommend taking a whole day to sight-see and go back to the capital in the evening. It’s an important place for the Georgians. It is here that king Mirian III converted to Christianity. You simply can’t visit Georgia without seeing the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. I’m apparently not alone with this opinion, as swarms of tourists there are simply overwhelming. Needless to say, whatever corner of the world we’re visiting, we have to be prepared to have company in some places. Not far from Mtskheta we can see the beautifully situated monastery of Jvari. You can buy tickets for a transport to the monastery in the information kiosk next to the cathedral, or find yourself a taxi driver willing to take you there.

Stepantsminda

A small town situated 5741 feet above sea level, a couple miles from the Russian border, better known under its former name – Kazbegi. From here you have a nice view of the Gergeti Trinity Church, featured on most Georgia guide book covers. In order to see it up close, you need to climb higher – 7119 feet above sea level. No need to worry though – it’s an easy hike. Remember it gets cold on higher altitudes, so take some warm clothes and a hat. You can also get there by car. It is one of those places, that never fails to amaze us, although we’ve seen it on thousands of photographies. You can take a morning marshrutka from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda, see the monastery and return to the capital in the evening. Still, I’d recommend spending the night in the mountains. It’s one of very few occasions to see a really starry night sky. It was really a blessing in disguise, that the town suffered a malfunction and had no electricity, when we arrived. Doing shopping by smartphone light was a challenge, but all you needed to do, was to look up into the stars, to immediately forget about all inconveniences. It was cold, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the sky and would actually prefer to spend the night on the terrace. This was a perfect farewell to Georgia, although I hope it won’t be for long.

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Avon – in search of a new river

  Olga Tokarczuk once wrote, that everyone has his own river (in her book  „Moment niedźwiedzia” ,
namely, in the story titled „Oder”). There’s some merit to it, at least in my opinion. Perhaps you’re
not aware of it yet, but I’m certain, that upon reading Olga Tokarczuk’s narrative on her personal
relation with the Oder river, many memories will spring to your mind. To get your imagination
working, I’m putting this   link to a fragment of her short story.
River as a symbol
The author tells as stories from her life, but also refers to the river’s symbolism, accentuating its
dual nature. Rivers are life givers, the birthplaces of life. However, many times they turned into
deathbringers, their currents consuming everything they met. They can be attributed with god-like
powers, reminding of  a song   by Anita Lipnicka . It carries us, changing its flow. Rivers can also
symbolize rebirth, when after a cataclysm everything is born anew.

My rivers
Enough of mysticism, let’s talk about rivers in their physical sense. I’m sure many of us have their
special rivers. Different in each stage of our lives. They can be near or distant, but still are always
somewhere close by. Vistula is my first special river. As a child I used to go to mass at Wawel
Cathedral each Christmas. Then we went to the riverside with my parents, to feed the swans. I
prepared for my SAT on the promenades by Vistula, and it is there that I celebrated my graduation
with firends. I’ve braved miles while rollerblading or taking a walk on the banks of this river. It’s a
place, where I like to go all year ’round.
My „river heart” also belongs to Białucha, a river, that’s best to contemplate beside. I went there,
whenever I needed to deal with some issues and still often go there. My „summer love” is the river
Raba. That’s where I learned to swim and where I built magnificant dams out of sand. That’s where
I learned, what some people can do to kittens… My firend tried to save them.
All these rivers are far away from where I live now, so I decided to befriend the river Avon. It is
famous for the Clifton Suspension Bridge – a symbol of Bristol. But I wanted to see its other side –
free from tourists, crowds of people going to work and the hustle of local pubs and restaurants.
A walk by the Avon
Since it was sunny, I decided to embark on a walk to Bath, which is situated about 9 miles from
Bath. Ignoring Googlemaps and it’s recommended route, I decided to follow the riverbank. The
initial part of the route was well known to me, as I pass it often. It’s a great place to spend your free

time. There’s a nice bicycle path you can ride through without all those cars passing by. Canoeists
brave the waters – either for pure recreation or preparing for the races. They’re constantly
accompanied by the coaches yell, heard through a megaphone. There’s lots of parents with their
kids, people walking their canines and flocks of ducks waddling around.
At the city’s outskirts, the route turns into something more like a forest path. The infrastructure is
still perfect though – there are benches for those wishing to rest, and for all those in need of
civilization, there are many signs, telling people where to turn to reach a certain city district or a
village center. These aren’t the only signs by the route. Many give you curious details about the
local wildlife and plants, the region’s history, and – most importantly – the ubiquitous „You are
here” marks.
Although the destination was important – the way to get there was equally so. After a while, the
canoeists vanished. Boats started appearing. Some were like floating discos, other were more like
houses on the water, and all of them were full of smiling people, enjoying the nice weather. But my
gaze turned to the other side, where the landscape became charmingly pastoral. I met no one on my
way. Sometimes I passed a country house, surrounded by an orchard or a grove.
No, it’s not Wonderland, but a mere riverside path. Seldom you can feel, you’re still in the 21 st
century.
Sometimes, though, it’s good to have civilization. You can sit at a cafe, have a pint, or eat
something.
On my way again. The river, the meadows,… English countryside feels like Poland. With one big
difference – I can go anywhere. There’s no walls or fences. Except for ones made to prevent animals
from roaming freely. When you find a fence, you open the gate and continue on.
Saturday… I should be cleaning, doing laundry, yet here I am, chillin’… 
Not unlike most people I met.
Making new acquaintances gets more difficult, as we grow older. Even if you try to befriend a river,
rather then another human. I had a great time, but I feel I need more time, to develop a relation with
Avon.
Just before entering Bath, my surroundings changed again. Neat grass, bigger houses, a mansion
here and there.
After several hours’ walk, I’ve finally reached Bath, but that’s another story…

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Leisure

When my colleagues told me about their summer vacation spent by the pool in a hotel, somewhere i the middle of nowhere, where the biggest attraction is 40 degrees in shaded areas, I listened with a sarcastic grin on my face. It turns out I was wrong to look down upon it. Pure rest has it’s charm. Even for lunatics, who just can sit in on place for a few minutes and always have a bilion plans, on what to do next. Dawdling by the pool surely won’t become my favourite way of spending spare time, nevertheless there always comes a moment, when you get fed up with day-to-day business, feeling simply overworked. Your body starts rebelling against you, sending signals, as if saying „C’mon, giove me a break!”. In these moments, it’s best to chill out.

For me, vacation means exploring new places and tastes, getting to know people… My appetite for such activities is great… it’s a „wanderlust”, as they call it. Still, planning is important. During sleepless nights, I’ve been pouring endlessly over maps, checking trains to distant places, planning my budget for the next trip. For me, the preparations are as fun as the trip itself. But recently, I’ve discovered (about time!), that a trip without a plan can still be nice. You just have to get rid of your inner Mr. Monk, let go of OCD and enjoy life. Fortunately, my wanderlust is greater than my penchant for planning, so when I heard „Come visit us in Turkey”, my first reaction was „sure, why not?”. After getting my plane tickets, I immediately bought a guide. But after reading the first paragraph, I thought „Settle down, for crying out loud! It’s only 3 days. Try to relax”.

On my first day, while going to bed, I realized, how happy I am without the need to set the alarm clock. I wanted to do it, but then remembered there’s no need. Even without the alarm clock, I woke up early – and well-rested. I was happy to discover, that there’s breakfast waiting for me already. Just like that. No shopping, no cooking. Someone else took care of it. A small thing, yet so pleasant.
Then, while I was sipping my coffee, it dawned on me – I don’t have to do anything. No risk of
being late, as there’s no schedule. I’ve plenty of spare time… Why not lie down by the swimming
pool and catch some sunlight? Yet idleness was too much of a sacrifice to make for just a sun tan, so
I decided to catch up on my reading list.

The best things about my hotel in Dalaman, apart from low prices and vicinity to the airport, were peace and silence all around. Which surprised me, as I was expecting flocks of tourists during mid- season. Yet it was calm – and for a reason. Many of the guests were the crewmembers of passenger planes, while families of tourists spent most of their time on the beach.

Marmaris

It’s hard to believe that this sprawling town was once a small fishing village. It’s perfect for all those, who enjoy sunbathing during the day and wild clubbing at night. The beach is divided into sectors, each belonging to its neighbouring restaurant. You can use the loungers for free, however it is forbidden to consume your own food and beverages. The world is within your reach, thanks to free wi-fi connection, and dashing young waiters bring you fancy drinks. It’s best, though, not to order anything too fancy and check what the other tourists are drinking beforehand. My friends were surprised (the waiter wasn’t) to discover, that there’s no mint in their mojitos. The food, on the other hand, is great, and you have plenty to choose from – traditional Turkish mezze, Italian pasta and delicious local fish – everything tastes superb.

Once the sun begins to set, the beaches become empty. British and Russian tourists switched their
flip-flops for high-heels and families returned to their hotels for supper. That’s when you have a
chance to take a dip or a walk. Then, finally, you feel like you’ve travelled back in time, to the small
fishing village of yore. For supper, I’d recommend choosing one of the restaurants in the port. It’s lively, but far from noisy. You can look at exclusive yachts, docking nearby and listen to live music.

Marmaris is famous for its bars and discos. Music is heard in every corner of the town and everyone can find some genre they enjoy most.

If you’re planning to stay a while longer, be sure to take a cruise to the Greek isle of Rhodos.

Fethiye

The Valley of Butterflies was my destination for the next day. This bay, surrounded by tall cliffs, owes its name to a black and red and white butterfly, known as the Jersey tiger. Hundreds of them show up in the valley during summer. Other species, though not in such great numbers, are seen here all year round. There’s over 30 diurnal and 40 nocturnal insects dwelling in the valley. Butterflies are not the only attraction there. These insects – and many local tropical plants – thrive in the valley due to air humidity, provided by a waterfall, created by water from the Faralya watermill, which cascades down into the valley floor. There are no buildings on this beach, except for a wooden shack, where you can buy refreshments. You can get there by boat from Ölü Deniz or reach the valley on foot, through Faralya – a village situated 2000 feet above. We’ve decided to walk there. This route offered us some amazing sights of the local landscape – all seen from a bird’s perspective. When finally I walked up a cliff and saw the bay below, I was mesmerized. No photocould give justice to its beauty.

Searching for a path leading to the valley, we happened upon an interesting restaurant. If you can call it that at all. We have different backgrounds (namely, Polish, Slovak and Lebanese), but each of us found some objects inside, that we recall from our childhood . We felt as if we were visiting our grandmas, not because of how the place looked, but because of it’s cosy atmosphere and the charming owner of the place.

It turned out the path to the valley is far too steep to brave in flip-flops, and we didn’t want to wait for a car, that would take us to the valley and back again. It would take 40 minutes to get there and there was one fee to divide between passengers – and there was just the three of us. It was getting late and we didn’t have much time. We’ve decided to return here some other time and continued to Fathiye, to eat dinner and enjoy the sunshine, as we had to return to Dalaman soon.

The local beach turned out to be a paraglider’s heaven. The promenade was full of paragliders an their instructors. The wind was fair, so they could see the landscape from a bird’s eye view. Meanwhile I had a chance to look at the local women…

After midnight, I became really hungry and had to eat something before going to sleep. The hotel surprised me again. It was the middle of the night, but the receptionist handed me the menu, telling me they’ll fix me up anything I order. The price was also astounding – only 20 pln!

Dalyan

My flight was in the evening, so I had plenty of time to see Dalyan. The guides described it as a crowded tourist resort, however I found it to be a lovely town with really nice people. There’s tourists alright, however fishing is still the towns main source of income. The shops and restaurants offer you many types of fish and red caviar.

The spiny turtle is the towns symbol. It’s an endangered species, hence in 1986, the government developed a conservation programme for the turtles’ breeding territories. That’s when a monument of the spiny turtle was raised in Dalyan. It’s nigh impossible to see a live spiny turtle, but souvenirs featuring this animal are everywhere. The beaches of Dalyan, where spiny turtles lay their eggs, has been the habitat of this species for centuries. As part of the conservation programme, it is now forbidden to visit the beach at night, when the turtles emerge. Regardless, I recommend going there during the day, to enjoy the sights during a cruise. It’s just a half-hour ride via a river cab.

The eastern bank of the river features some tombs from 4 th century BC. They were built by the Lycians, who believed, that the souls of mortals are being carried into the afterlife by a bird demon. That’s why they placed their tombs on clifftops. The history of this region is fascinating – as seen in the tombs’ architecture, which mixes Greek and Persian influences. One of the region’s most famous statues – the Nereid Monument – is now a part of the British Museum collection, in London.

The only trace of the spiny turtle were the places, where thir eggs used to be laid. With no turtle in sight, I decided to focus on the landscape and tourists.

On my way back, I was already quite familiar with the landscape, so I decided to observe the other passengers instead.

With all those beautiful places in my memory, fully regenerated by the Turkish sunlight, I could finally return to the mundane world.

Everyone needs some R&R at a tourist resort from time to time. Only some people don’t do this often, and when they do, it’s not for long.

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On streetart – right after two grand premieres

At he beginning of this month, one of my favourite publishing houses has released   an unusual
guide , which, instead of describing places, deals with a certain phenomenon – street art. I’ve
hapened upon it, while ordering books on places I’m planning to visit. Instantly, I added it to my
cart. I was dying to see it, compare it to my experience with street art hunting and to look for
inspiration for another street art themed trip. I was also curious about the way the author managed
to deal with this broad subject.

Another reason, why I’m writing this was a screening of a documentary –   „Saving Banksy” . I had a
chance to see the film on 15 th April at   Arnolfini . After the screening, a meeting was held, where you
could talk to the director and camera operator, Colin Day, but also meet the Ed Bartlett, the author
of the aforementioned guide. Ed Bartlett is considered a modern guru of street art, also known as
  Blek le Rat .

Street Art
Before I share my imperssions, I’d like to tell you a couple of things about street art. It’s been a part
of the mainstream contemporary art for a while now. Although everyone has heard of it, or seen a
few examples of street art, its understanding varies between observers. For me street art
encompasses every kind of artistic activity in public space, all effects of said activity, available for
everyone to enjoy. To get a better grasp at the history of street art both in Poland and worldwide, I
recommend reading the article   Street art in Poland by Marcin Rutkiewicz, published in   ZNAK  .
The author is an expert on street art – he knows, what he’s talking about and can do so in an
interesting way. I don’t want to repeat his opinions here, although I wholeheartedly agree with him.
The article by Rutkiewicz deals with two, in my opinion, essential topics – graffiti and its relation
with street art; and graffiti as an integral part of the place, where it was created.
It is common for people fond of street art to regard graffiti as but an act of vandalism. Such people
forget, that there would be no street art without graffiti and that there’s a thin line between art and
vandalism. All those middle-aged men, nowadays regared as artists, were once kids with markers
and spray cans in their backpacks. Back then, much like today’s youth, they didn’t care, what the
society has to say about them and what they’re doing. Street art is not just the act of painting –
setting the stage is equally important. Mind you, most masterpieces of street art were – and still are
– created illegally. These works are not devoid of any contact with reality. To the contrary, the
place, where they were created is integral to them. They showcase particular styles, contain shout

outs to the history of their „birthplace” and the people, who created them. They are a form of
dialogue with other social groups. I’m planning on making a separate article on specific street
artists, their style and activities. It is a broad subject and even Ed Bartlett called his book „more of a
guideline, than a compendium”.
Street Art guide by Lonely Planet
I don’t know how, but they did it. For a paltry sum we get a beautiful edition of the guide.
Hardcover, with a matt dust cover and quality paper – as is befitting for an album on art. For the
stay-at-home type of people, it is a perfect book to browse through by the fireplace – there’s plenty
of photos inside. Choosing the right works from all around the world must’ve been a difficult task,
nevertheless some iconic pieces were chosen – ones that perfectly represent the feel of the city they
were made in. But these are just a first step to the world of street art. I’m certain, you’ll feel as
enthralled as I was with the photos, and will soon be browsing the Internet for the artists’ other
works, always hungry for more…
You’ll get a better grasp on street art not only by reading the preface by the author and by   Remi
Rough , a street artist, who talks about the phenomenon based on his own experience, but also
beacuse of great interviews with the world’s leading street artists, contained in the book.
Bear in mind, though, that it is a tourist guide – a book to read, when planning a trip. And it serves
its purpose perfectly. Of course, it is but a starting point, as it’s impossible to create a complete
guide to street art around the world. Nevertheless, several European capitals have been described in
this book. One of them is Kiev, as most street art fans consider Eastern Europe to be today’s mecca
of street art. There are also some examples from both North and South America and other parts of
the world. We get to know the differences in style of street art in various cities and their districts.
There’s a bit on the history of street art and a map of important street art regions, with famous works
pinpointed on it. Many street art festivals – which recently gained popularity – were also
mentioned, including something from Poland – Danzig’s  Traffic Design . Another palce, never
mentioned before, is Bristol – Banksy’s hometown and the host of the  Upfest . Artists travel the
world to aint their works. We can do the same to enjoy their masterpieces.

Saving Banksy
Before the screening started, Colin Day mused, how his girlfriend was wondering, whether the film

will be completed, as the director rarely finishes his projects. He also said, that this is probably his
last film on the subject, as it took lots of time to make and Colin’s had enough of it. Whatever he’s
planning to do next, I’d love to see it, as it’s been long, since I’ve seen such a well made
documentary as Saving Banksy.

The theme of the film is a wiedly discussed topic – street art disappears from the streets, becoming
a part of private collections. Many controversies and doubts have risen over this phenomenon. Since
the film deals with them, I won’t re reiterating them in this article. I’m sure you’ll have similar
opinions about this situation. The film is also an example of great journalism – the problem has
been well detailed, we get to see, how it develops, while being able to hear both sides and their
arguments. I was shocked to learn, that Colin was also the camera operator, not just the director.
And the photos were amazing, as was the editing. I could go on and on about the film, but it’s best if
you check out the trailer and see for yourself.

Did you see, who’s in this film? By watching it you get to learn about the opinions the world’s
leading street artists have on this subject, including  Ben Eine ,  Risk ,  Glen E.Friedman ,  Niels „Shoe”
Meulman ,  Doze Green ,  Hera ,  Anthony Lister ,  Revok  or Blek le Rat – all of them are featured.

Banksy once said about Blek le Rat: „Whenever I feel like I have this unique idea, it turns out Blek
le Rat did something similar two decades ago”. One of the viewers asked the whether he feels bitter
because he’s not the most famous, although his contribution to street art was so great. Blek le Rat
denied, argumenting that Banksy’s popularity brought him more recognition too. He thinks, that the
success of one street artist is beneficial to the whole community, and therefore it’s a reason to be
happy.

Ben Eine also got to answer the fans’ questions, although reluctantly. Ben is known for painting
huge letters and for the way he mixes colors. He used to paint with Banksy in Palestine. He brought
an important thing to the discussion, saying he’s ainting for all people and hates to see his works
stolen, but at the same time acknowledges, that it’s the only way for his works to survive. He’s
regarding graffiti as inferior, stating that „graffiti is crap, while his works are true art”. When some
lady protested, he asked, whether she’d like to have one of his works at home or just some random,
shitty gangsta tags. This proves, that even among experts, opinions may vary.

John Nation, dubbed „the godfather of Bristol street art”, was also a guest at the screening. In the
80s and 90s, Nation was doing courses for kids at the local youth center. These kids grew up to be
artists themselves. On the 20 th March 1989, John Nation and his proteges were arrested during the

infamous Anderson Operation, launched against graffiti artists. He stood up to defend the kids he’s
been teaching. After that incident, it took him years to regain the people’s trust an reputation of a
social activist.
These two works on street art are but a tip of the iceberg. Nevertheless, they are worth mentioning
and should persuade people to search for more street art on their own. Just take a look around. All
these colorful murals are for us to enjoy.

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Tyntesfield – interesting places are closer, than you think

Recently, I’ve read a   blogpost on visiting Cracow  at my friends website. Many readers stated in
their comments, that contrary to tourists, locals never visit any interesting places in their towns, and
can be completely oblivious about some of them. At first, I wanted to disagree, as I firmly believe,
that only locals know, that Cracow is more, than just the Wawel Castle and the Cloth Hall
(Sukiennice), and Warsaw doesn’t end on the Palace of Culture and Science. But then it occured to
me, that many of us, caught on our daily business, fail to see many interesting places, even if we
pass them by everyday on our way to work. We can spend hours reading various guides to most
exotic corners of the Earth, checking exhibitions worth seeing, browsing through lists of cafes,
while unknown to us, an exhibition of a famous artist’s works is being held in our very city. Thus,
while we await our vacation, it’s good to check, if there are no new bistros being opened nearby, or
attend a saturday night concert, or even try some quality time with our families at the museum.

Since I had some spare time, I decided upon enjoying the spring at  Tyntesfield  – which is a
Victorian country manor. It is a perfect exapmle of thar period’s architecture. Lonely Planet dubbed
it an „absurdly extravagant estate”.

It is situated mere 7 miles south-west of Bristol, and can be reached by city bus. Nevertheless, a
bicycle is a better option for all you cycling enthusiasts.
There’s another reason to leave your car at the garage – a 20 percent discount at the local restaurant
for all, who came on foot, by bicycle or via public transport. Be sure to spare some time for coffee
and crumpets! The restaurant itself is far from exclusive, but still, it’s quite interesting, as it’s
situated in an old stablehouse. You can still see the walls of horse stalls inside!
There’s also a large   gift shop  , where you can buy everything – guides and cookbooks, gadgets, like
mugs and t-shirts, but also some lovely handcrafted items. There’s also an elevator, so it’s not a
problem to visit with an elderly person or a baby stroller.

Before this huge estate (almost 500 acres!) became open to the public as a place of leisure, it was
private property. Its first owners were the Tynte family, whose surname gave the house its name.
According to historical accounts, the Tyntes have been living here since around 1500. The estate
has been leased and sold a couple of times since then, until 1843, when it was bouth by an
enterpreneur by the name William Gibbs, who decided to renovate and expand the manor. Gibbs
made a fortune while selling fertilizers. The renovation consumed the equivalent of 18 month gross
income from all of his enterprises. Gibbs has bought the neighbouring lands in order to expand his

property. Around 500 people were employed at his estate.

Both William and his heirs have delved into large scale charity activities, supporting the local
community. During World War 2 the manor was turned into a huge medical facility – the largest
American hospital in Europe.

Tyntesfield’s last owner – Richard Gibbs – has decided, that the property is to be sold after his
death, due to huge amounts of money needed for a general renovation. The new owners have
received the house and nearby property, consisting of almost 2500 acres of agricultural land, over
1600 acres of forests and 30 houses. The Gibbs received a whooping amount of 15 milion stirling
pounds, and almost twice as much by auctioning the manor’s furniture. The National Trust have
only bought the central part of the estate, including the manor, the garden and the park. The head of
National Trust had to show a feat of extraordinary persistence in acquiring the mansion, as it caught
the attention of such celebrities as Madonna and Kylie Minogue. The mansion was renovated and
the park returned to its former glory.
When visiting Tyntesfield, you can chose a ticket for the park only, or one including a tour inside
the manor. The tour is unlike anywhere else. You need to go around the back and knock at the back
door. The guests are being greeted by servants.
The main hall features a piano, and a charming elderly gentleman is playing some music. Each
room has its own guide, who can tell you things about all the objects in the room and is happy to
answer all your questions.
All in all, Tyntesfield is breathtaking.
Apart from the park, there’s also a kitchen garden, full of vegetables, fruit and flowers. These can be
bought for a small donation. Most of the central estate is open for tourists, and everything is so
pretty, that you wish you could stay there forever.
An adult’s ticket costs £16,30. For those, who only wish to see the park – £10,10. Members of the
National Trust get free admission.

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I’ve had a chance to get to know Iceland’s oldest necropolis a little better, since I volunteered for conservation works. Being used to typical Polish graveyards, both me and my colleagues had no idea, how much work awaits us. Most of the cemetery has already seen some conservation works, and though the alleys are neat and clean, the rest of the area is quite wild and rugged. The old graves are all weed ridden and you can barely decipher the names or dates on tombstones, since they’re covered in moss. Usually the tombstones are surrounded by a small fence of some kind. Armed in hoes (which in Cracow, contrary to other parts of Poland, are called kopaczka instead of motyka) and rakes, we declared war on vegetation – to bring the cemetery back to its’ former glory.

„I was a gardener at a cemetery” – that’s a great introduction to a book, rather than a photo album. But you know what Ancient Chinese used to say – „If you want to be happy for a day – get drunk. If you want to be happy for a year – get married. But if you want to be happy all your life – get a garden.” Is there a better place to be, when in search of inner harmony and tranquility? Perhaps, but I’ve chosen a cemetery. It’s been a while since that trip, I’m somewhere else now, still striving for inner harmony, nevertheless I’d like to show you something, that caught my attention back then – a whole microcosmos of tomb statues.

There’s a custom to place angels on children’s graves, a practice which is also popular in Poland. 
Although time took its’ toll, these statues are still beautiful. They seem very lifelike – reminding me of elves in a cemetery grove.
What surprised me more, where numerous birds, cats and other animals.
I found the garden gnomes quite amusing – fancy seeing them on graves. But then again, why not…

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After a whole night spent in the car and a ferry passage, we have finally reached Qeshm Island (which is the largest island in the Persian Gulf). It greeted us with a true summer holiday atmosphere – the sea, the beaches, the sun… Which was great, as just a few days ago, back in Palangan, we had to wear our winter coats, and when we left Cracow, right after Christmas Eve, it was snowing.

Qeshm Island is a remarkable place – rife with stunning, pure landscapes and traditional fishing villages. And – what’s most important – there are no tourists. First we visited Laft, which is but a small village, rather than a town.

Though I was quite surprised to chance upon a cow chowing down a plastic bag, it wasn’t exactly what we expected. Thus, after having a glance at the town, we moved on. The island is famous for its’ mangrove forests. It is a type of ever-green tropical forest, commonly found around the coasts of seas and oceans, which are being flooded and dried again, according to water tides. In order to survive in sea water environment, the plants developed an unusual system of roots. For us, it presented an extraordinary sight. There’s another reason, why these plants are worth seeing. Namely, in other parts of the world these forests are being cut down, in order to accomodate the ever-expanding seaside tourist resorts. Among the trees lives a myriad of animals, which we could see from our boat. It was like a paradise for ornithologists, especially since the Iranian helmsman made sure, that we see all the curious specimens – whenever we happened upon some kind of bird, he showed it to us.

However, the landscapes were more to our liking, than the avian fauna. 

The island’s biggest attraction is its’ canyon. There were some tourists around, mostly Iranian mind you, to whom we were a far greater attraction, then the surrounding landscapes. The very moment, we’ve parked our car, we were approached by an Iranian family – a young mother of two charming little boys, who both looked at us with great interest, much like their father. The mother looked a bit shy, but finally her curiosity took over. She approached me, while barely acknowledging my colleague.
– „Where are you from?”, she asked in perfect English, „You don’t look like locals”.
We’ve been getting that question a lot in Iran, so I told her we’re but a couple of Polish tourists spending their vacation here. Surprised, the lady aksed, who is our tour guide. I pointed at my friend, quite amused. The lady was beside herself with surprise. Her husband was listening to our conversation, while the kids mustered their courage and kept eyeing us curiously. The lady went on:
– „Where’s your driver?”
My friend just pointed at me. We were getting more and more amused, while the family became even more confused. Smiling, we explained, that we’ve reached Tehran by plane and managed to rent a car, to move around Iran.
– „Right.”, she said, „but how did you find out about this island? It is a great attraction for the locals. We came here with our kids for the long weekend, but what are you doing here?”, she kept asking, still quite puzzled.

That was quite unexpected – that we had to explain to people lucky enough to live in such a beautiful part of the world, how much we appreciate their culture and heritage. We told them, what we’ve visited already, which places we liked the most, and what we’re planning to see. They were glad to hear it. And for once, we were the ones someone took photos of! Then we went to see the canyon.

On our way to the cave. Beaches covered with salt.

The cave.

It was a wonderful day. While marvelling at the beach in the sunset, we wished we could stay here a bit longer. But before we embarked on a journey back to the mainland, we’ve decided to eat something. We continued east, along the beaches, to reach hotels, restaurants and shopping centres. Seeing the mall, crawling with popular brand neons, we kind of felt like home. Imagine our surprise, when we entered, only to discover merchandise, that had nothing to do with said brands and was more like the stuff found at local bazaars and marketplaces. The only difference was the logo.

We’ve visited Qeshm during winter. I think it’s the best time of the year to go there. In warmer seasons, high temperatures and overwhelming moisture makes the sight-seeing a less pleasant experience.

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It is a mining district, designed by the Zilmann brothers – Georg and Emil and built for the miners of the Giesche mine. As part of national heritage, this symbol of Upper Silesia, this district lets you dive into the true feel of the region, and no wonder. It is, after all, one of the most picturesque parts of the region.

Be sure to take your time, once you’re there. Enjoy some cakes at the café right opposite the church. Take a walk. Talk to the locals. They can tell you more, than you’ll ever find in books and on the Internet. Last, but not least, don’t leave before you try a traditional Silesian dinner!

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