old tiger's Blog

So..one day we decided to visit Barcelona,Madrid+Toledo(Spain)
we booked a return bus ticket Brussels-Barcelona..not so expensive..
one morning..we took a train to Brussels Midi railway station..
Brussels..got 3 main railway stations=Brussels Nord,Brussels Central..
and this Midi station(South)..where our bus was gonna take off..
this long distance buses towards Spain...were quite popular..
comfortable..quick..toilet on board...enough leg space etc....
we were unlucky this time..our bus conductor told us..
toilets..were out of order...but told all the passengers..
we would make enough sanitary stops in France..
so..off we went..full bus..all holiday folks for Spain..
I could never sleep on night buses..not in India..and not here..
after a few stops on French highway tankstations with facilities..
we reached Barcelona at 11 a.m. next morning..let me tell you all..
we felt like shit...a wooden head..no energy to attack Barcelona..
we booked a room for 3 nights in the Youth hostel..very nice place..
took a bath...and made a stroll through Parc de la Ciutadella..
it was near to our accomodation..it's a vast place..very green..
there was even a zoo in that parc..but we did not visit..
a few musea as well..but we just wanted some fresh air..
to get rid of that tired feeling..we had food in the evening..
in a typical tapa bar=small snacks..typical for Spain..
Barcelona..became the favorite city for my wife...
I will make full report of our visit..it's a place..
where one easily can spend 10 days or more..to go into detail..
Tiger

Although we only stayed 3 days in Iceland..it's funny..
to notice..that my wife...after all these years..
treasures Iceland as her MOST favorite country in the world..
I don't know why..for me..it's Norway...and it will always be..
Norway touched my inside...nature..people..mentality..
Iceland's rough unspoilt nature..is remarkable..the volcano's..
the wildness..I guess..it's something..the Icelandic folks..
their origin..is maybe a mix of old Viking Norse+Celts..
and that's some mixture..the education system..is something..
to be considered..literacy rate is 100%..I think about 300.000 folks..
that's what it is..the whole population...they fight with nature..
the Hekla volcano still erups from time to time..
near Myvatn regio..it's full of volcano activity..well..well..
i would say to you all..if you love wild unspoilt nature..
please visit Iceland..it's worthwhile the trip..
I'm gonna give you all some more links...
http://www.exploreiceland.is/about_iceland/facts_and_statistics/
www.goiceland.org
http://www.hostel.is/displayer.asp?cat_id=13
http://www.rvk.is/DesktopDefault.aspx/tabid-714
Tiger

We were both curious and thrilled..how this sighseeing tour..
was going to be??let me tell you all...I would recommend it..
this trip is done by bus of course..the usual tourists were there..
the guides who conduct these trips..are very well trained..
they will give you a glimpse into Iceland's history and nature..
first we drove through Reykjavik town..as said before..
the whole town..is heated by geothermic power..
we passed Laugadalur..which is a geothermal swimming pool..
all year round..even in winter..one can swim in the open..
reminded me on H?viz(Hungary)after this the bus drove east..
towards a place called Thingvellir..which marks Icelands history a lot..
situated bit over 20kms from Reykjavik in beautiful nature..
the Icelandic Althing(parlement)came together since old ages..
it's a national park nowadays..with lava rocks,waterfalls,wild nature..
http://www.randburg.com/is/thingvellir.html
bit further up the road is strokkur=geysir..this is really something..
it's a hot spring...the guide was very humoristic..she said..strokkur..
might spout it's jet in 10 min..or tomorrow..she knew..it should be..
every 10 min..it's quite a sight..it goes very high..maybe 25meters?
I bet quite a bit of pressure down there deep in the earth...
http://www.randburg.com/is/general/geysir/
of course..the tourist cameras click constantly there as well..
after that..we went to Gullfoss=a waterfall..great sight...
bit more over 30 meters waterfall..I saw lots of foss=waterfall..
in Norway...specially around the Geiranger fjord..great scenery..
the Gullfoss..I did not find so impressive as the Norway waterfalls..
after Gullfoss..we drove to Skalholt..it had to do with religion..
don't remember very well what was the connection..it's just..
a village in the middle of nowhere..with a church..
we had food there..in some local restaurant..fish..not cheap..
this sightseeing tour is certainly worthwhile..if you cannot explore
Iceland for a longer stay..it gives you bit of a look..about nature..
I'll see if i can find some links..the next day..transport to Keflavik..
airport..flight to Findel(Luxemburg)and back home..
Tiger

This town is quite interesting..surrounded by water..
the harbour looked quite nice..the typical Scandinavian houses..
a landmark for Reykjavik is the Hallgrimskirkja=it's a very strange
architectural style..we did not go inside..Iceland got lots of musea
as well..again..we didn't do any..lack of time,you know..
we mostly strolled around in Reykjavik's streets..
shops,bars,restaurants etc..my wife was always a window shopper..
I couldn't afford most of the stuff..Iceland got a very high standard
of living..everything was costly over there..a beer costed double..
then the price we payed in Belgium..we saw these youngsters hanging
around some square..stoned out of their ass..if you bother these folks..
you can expect some trouble..alcoholism=a big problem in Scandinavia..
I recall Finland..aww..happy memories..from long bygone days..uhuh..
we went into the tourist ofice...and booked ourselves a sightseeing tour
scheduled for next day...in the evening..in our hotel..there was a party
going on..and many Icelanders got a bit above their teawater..
funny anectdote..one dude..seemed to fall in love with my wife even..
he came to us in the lounge..and handed a small paper to my wife..
with his telephone number and even his room number on it..
ahah..up till today...my wife got very amused..I tease her with it...
in Iceland..folks are very white and fair skinned..they like dark skin??
anyway..this dude..didn't stand a chance..he was just drunk..that's all..
Icelanders have from these very funny names..mostly ending in *sonn*
Gunnarson..Icelandic names..are made up from the Dad's first name..
with son or daughter added to it...you know Bj?rk=famous singer..
her name is Gudmunsdottir=daughter of Gudmundur=her Mom..
if she would have a brother..he would be Gudmunsson etc...
the language..is not easy to understand at all..I spoke it once...
with a hot potato in my mouth..ahah...but..Icelanders..
are mostly educated...and English is no problem at all..
Icelanders...as most Scandinavians..seem bit cold or distant...
but hey..wait until the ice is broken...very social folks..
I always was very keen on Scandinavia..I had a crush once..
towards a Norvegian chick..oh well..I remember the early 70's..
the currency in Iceland was the krona..divided into 100 aurar..
they flew out of my pocket..brrr..expensive place..
will report about the sightseeing tour in next posting..
crazy Tiger...

so..our visit to the mighty U.S.A..was almost over..
our last day in Greenwich village was just relaxing..
JFK was quite a confusing airport..we flew with Icelandair..
funny accent these Iceland airhostesses got..uhuh..
we landed safe on an august day in Reykjavik(Iceland)
we made a stopover of a few nights..all arranged in the ticket..
we stayed at hotel Loftleidir..great value...good hotel..first class..
we met a couple from Buffalo on their way back to New York..
nice folks..we had our meals together...and had good talks..
I'm gonna put a few postings on Iceland..it's a worthwile country
to visit..it became my wife's favorite place..she liked the rough and
natural beauty of it..Iceland's capital Reykjavik..now..let me tell you..
this place is really out of something..Iceland got geysirs,waterfalls,
sulphur mudholes,rough mountain scenery...fjords..lonely places..
its nature is still wild virgin land at certain places..the people are nice..
and peaceloving..exept when they are drunk..ahah..they read a lot..
their sagas are worthwhile..their language..reminded me to Norsk..
I knew some Norvegian..in fact..I used to be good at Norsk..
they heat their homes with geothermal energy..very clever..
fishing is important for Iceland..specially codfish..
they really celebrate their short summers..getting stoned on booze..
rural Iceland..is like living as Robinson Crusoe..place enough..
transport..well..there's a road from Reykjavik to Akureyi-Myvatn..
in fact a ring road around Iceland..Iceland horse poneys are also
a way of transport..and to drive inland..4 wheel track cars are surely
necessary..I bet..with a dirt road motorbike..it would be great..
I'll try to find you peeps a good link on Iceland..
http://www.icetourist.is/default.asp?cat_id=30
we made some touristical excursions..will report about it...
me and my wife...went into the city...and had a fish dinner...
not cheap..but damn good codfish it was..well prepared...
Tiger..