We are pretty tired after last night long long party and wont be up to much today. Plus the little we did happened about a month before the day i am writing this and not everything stayed in my memory. I can remember however that we went out in the park next doors with Tonin and Aurelie. A nice park where we come across a dog that looked very much like a wolf. Probably half wolf or one quarter wolf. H was held on a damn big chain but seemed to be pretty well dresser. Otherwise the park seemed pretty much deserted and we understood later why. When we tell a friend of Aurelie who also lives in Avtokomanda thet we went there, he says “ah the forest with Albanians...” What? i knew only of forest with trees :) It seems that it is not a safe place, at least so do the locals believe. Albanian go there to shoot around with their weapons and steal from people walking around with computer and cameras... What do you think is the part of truth in this? I had my camera along, and still have it and we didn't hear any gunfire...
At night we go out for the beer fest, it is a major event in Skopje. We walk a bit in town and are a bit disappointed, the streets are pretty empty. Well we soon find out that it is not because this Saturday, everyone decided to stay home but because the whole youth of Skopje is at the beer fest! The kitschy rock on the live stage is not so convincing, we drink a Chimay... mmm long time no good beer! And then move to the Dj scene, to our surprise, they are playing Seeed , Raggasonic and Spook and the Guay amongst other European reggae artists.
We are t tired to take it late into the night but still appreciate a bit of the live Gypsy music on the live stage before taking a cab home. Taxis are really cheap in Skopje, especially at night when there is no traffic and we get home for less than a euro.
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Wilderness. Afficher tous les articles
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Wilderness. Afficher tous les articles
samedi 25 octobre 2008
jeudi 2 octobre 2008
Up on Mt Magaro.
This is todays big goal, the highest summit of the park. The kilometers from yesterday got me quite tired and soar. But hey, i am used to having soar feet by now :)
Soon the first group arrives. A whole bus of older walkers from Serbia. They salute as they pass by and laugh. Must be a funny sight, this lonely walker, bare chested, barefooted, laying in the grass in his shorts in the early morning. Then the next group arrives, dutch people. Then more, Israelis. I make up my mind and decide to go, it would be stupid to give up so close. As i walk up quite hastily, i catch up with the Israeli, then the Dutch and as i turn back i see an other youngster almost running up after me. We get a little lost on a longer steeper way to the top but make it. There the Serbian group is already having its lunch break and enjoying the beautiful views... We share the left over water, i eat my last food and we head back down.
The fast youngster getting up the unofficial track to the top
Did it!
So i walk along the deserted road for one or two hours until i get to the start of the track. There, an old shot through sign says that this a boarder area and should not be penetrated without permission... I am not to worried by the sign which is outdated but rather by my low level of water and tiredness and consider simply hitchhiking down. We will see, first a little breakfast and rest in the soft morning sun.
Soon the first group arrives. A whole bus of older walkers from Serbia. They salute as they pass by and laugh. Must be a funny sight, this lonely walker, bare chested, barefooted, laying in the grass in his shorts in the early morning. Then the next group arrives, dutch people. Then more, Israelis. I make up my mind and decide to go, it would be stupid to give up so close. As i walk up quite hastily, i catch up with the Israeli, then the Dutch and as i turn back i see an other youngster almost running up after me. We get a little lost on a longer steeper way to the top but make it. There the Serbian group is already having its lunch break and enjoying the beautiful views... We share the left over water, i eat my last food and we head back down.
The fast youngster getting up the unofficial track to the top
Did it!
It is good i did not have to carry my bag all the way up and could walk light. Also nice that my friend has a bit of water down there in his fathers scooter. And even better that i almost imediately get a ride back to Sv. Naum beach.
Sv. Naum
Aaaa a swim! it is nice and fresh and relaxing to float in those sea like waters. I then decide to use todays sunset to take a couple pictures at the clear waters of the spring. And what a surprise to find some other friends there.
The incoming boat carries the English family i met on the mountains yesterday. They invite me for coffee, i tell them how yesterday ended for me, we talk about para gliding and traveling. Nice happy family, was glad to bump into them again. They kindly drop me off at the camping where i decided to stay tonight since the sky is a little dark and it looks like it might rain. Unfortunately there are no 5 euro trailers, they are 15 euro piece and you can share them to divide the price. So i leave the camping, pick some black berries and plums, thinking of the Rainbow advices :)
I find a nice quiet room with a very nice and friendly family. The host s Kid is named Andre, his kids are great, curious and overactive future swimming champions and their neighbors kids too. They use their little English and ask all sorts of questions. Besides a nice bed, a welcome shower, lots of questions, I also get dinner and beer served at their table. I however soon decide to head for bed. Rest, my feet feel so soar.
Sv. Naum
Aaaa a swim! it is nice and fresh and relaxing to float in those sea like waters. I then decide to use todays sunset to take a couple pictures at the clear waters of the spring. And what a surprise to find some other friends there.
The incoming boat carries the English family i met on the mountains yesterday. They invite me for coffee, i tell them how yesterday ended for me, we talk about para gliding and traveling. Nice happy family, was glad to bump into them again. They kindly drop me off at the camping where i decided to stay tonight since the sky is a little dark and it looks like it might rain. Unfortunately there are no 5 euro trailers, they are 15 euro piece and you can share them to divide the price. So i leave the camping, pick some black berries and plums, thinking of the Rainbow advices :)
I find a nice quiet room with a very nice and friendly family. The host s Kid is named Andre, his kids are great, curious and overactive future swimming champions and their neighbors kids too. They use their little English and ask all sorts of questions. Besides a nice bed, a welcome shower, lots of questions, I also get dinner and beer served at their table. I however soon decide to head for bed. Rest, my feet feel so soar.
mercredi 1 octobre 2008
First day in the Galicica Park.
Its Monday, i wake up in my nice quiet spot. however, in daylight, the parking spot 250m away from here looks more like a youngsters sex meeting point, tissues and condom packing all over the ground. Anyhow, it was very quiet and i had a nice night of sleep. Early wake up, picking wild bitter almonds (those the dude at Rainbow said where full of B12 vitamin :). I start my climb up. The bag is too heavy, i got all those useless clothe, books and other stuff...
I bump into a local shepherd with his donkey. He is about 60, white hair, tanned face, big smile and surprisingly speaking English very well. As we chat, the donkey keeps walking the track, carrying his load of wood to destination. He tells me there are 5 more hours up to the hut, so there is a hut! good to know. I start walking again in this beautiful morning setting , on a fortunately almost always shaded and fresh track. Along hillsides, in a low forest, soft ground, white rocks, green hills across the valley. Down in the valley i can see yellowish cultures of corn, the low growing, pale-green cabbage gardens, the rows of brighter green bushes, probably the peppers. Separated by a row of fruit and olive trees, lays a browner parcel of potatoes. I cant see, but i can also hear very distinctly a man cutting wood and regularly swear of his anger and frustration.
The path is well marked but not on the map... can’t understand how they worked this map out... After some hours of walking, it takes me to a plain. The sight is a mix of lunar, deserted and mountainous landscape. The rocky islands in the middle of very yellow, dried out grass are surrounded by higher Mountains. My compass, the highest peak in the distance and a smaller one nearby help me to find my position on the map using the level lines. I should be nor more than an hour from the hut. It is noon, I rapidly walk through the heat, no more shade in this plain and despite poorer marking and numerous misleading jeep tracks in the grass, i find my way to the hut rapidly.
Surprise, it is closed and no one is around. But there is water. Plenty of it, nice and fresh. It is too hot to go anywhere and i use some of the shade to get a rest, read, sleep and relax. So nice and quiet up here.
Not a soul around except the English couple and their energetic, singing kid walking to the small summit for the view on both lakes. We chat a bit and they give me the phone number of the national park office. I call and am told the hut is closed (don’t know why, if not now when does it open???) and that i should not be there without a permit because of fire restrictions... How was i supposed to know... Never mind, we agree that its their fault and that if they would be more organized we would have known and gotten the permit and all other info. I still don't know what i will do, go back, go on, sleep here, sleep further ???
The family walks back down, i remain a while in the see of green grass under the trees. The place, at the boarder between the very contrasting dried out plain and green forest is an oasis of freshness and comfort.
Around 5, as it is getting freshener i walk one more hour south, in direction of the old ski resort. There i find shelter and a nice view on the other lake. I cook some delicious pasta with olive paste. The simplest dish is so good when you are in a nice setting, somewhere in the nature after making a bit of an effort (25km after all...)
Shot through communist era info billboard.
Abandoned ski resort, too windy to sleep in, i will choose the hut in the valley.
The other lake, Prespa on the east side of the mountains.
Falling night
The moon light is strong, the surrounding magical, i get some good sleep in what once was the ticket house for the ski resort. I think that actually this place was better used in communist times... Now there are only the years old, falling apart signs from that time and rusting ski installations...
I bump into a local shepherd with his donkey. He is about 60, white hair, tanned face, big smile and surprisingly speaking English very well. As we chat, the donkey keeps walking the track, carrying his load of wood to destination. He tells me there are 5 more hours up to the hut, so there is a hut! good to know. I start walking again in this beautiful morning setting , on a fortunately almost always shaded and fresh track. Along hillsides, in a low forest, soft ground, white rocks, green hills across the valley. Down in the valley i can see yellowish cultures of corn, the low growing, pale-green cabbage gardens, the rows of brighter green bushes, probably the peppers. Separated by a row of fruit and olive trees, lays a browner parcel of potatoes. I cant see, but i can also hear very distinctly a man cutting wood and regularly swear of his anger and frustration.
The path is well marked but not on the map... can’t understand how they worked this map out... After some hours of walking, it takes me to a plain. The sight is a mix of lunar, deserted and mountainous landscape. The rocky islands in the middle of very yellow, dried out grass are surrounded by higher Mountains. My compass, the highest peak in the distance and a smaller one nearby help me to find my position on the map using the level lines. I should be nor more than an hour from the hut. It is noon, I rapidly walk through the heat, no more shade in this plain and despite poorer marking and numerous misleading jeep tracks in the grass, i find my way to the hut rapidly.
Surprise, it is closed and no one is around. But there is water. Plenty of it, nice and fresh. It is too hot to go anywhere and i use some of the shade to get a rest, read, sleep and relax. So nice and quiet up here.
Not a soul around except the English couple and their energetic, singing kid walking to the small summit for the view on both lakes. We chat a bit and they give me the phone number of the national park office. I call and am told the hut is closed (don’t know why, if not now when does it open???) and that i should not be there without a permit because of fire restrictions... How was i supposed to know... Never mind, we agree that its their fault and that if they would be more organized we would have known and gotten the permit and all other info. I still don't know what i will do, go back, go on, sleep here, sleep further ???
The family walks back down, i remain a while in the see of green grass under the trees. The place, at the boarder between the very contrasting dried out plain and green forest is an oasis of freshness and comfort.
Dirt road through deserted land
Around 5, as it is getting freshener i walk one more hour south, in direction of the old ski resort. There i find shelter and a nice view on the other lake. I cook some delicious pasta with olive paste. The simplest dish is so good when you are in a nice setting, somewhere in the nature after making a bit of an effort (25km after all...)
Shot through communist era info billboard.
Abandoned ski resort, too windy to sleep in, i will choose the hut in the valley.
The other lake, Prespa on the east side of the mountains.
Falling night
The moon light is strong, the surrounding magical, i get some good sleep in what once was the ticket house for the ski resort. I think that actually this place was better used in communist times... Now there are only the years old, falling apart signs from that time and rusting ski installations...
vendredi 25 juillet 2008
On more night out in the wild
Now for something like "into the wild" :) No dont worry, nothing real bad, nothing realy endangering.
After 2 weeks in a big city, with a confy bed and late bedtime, i am sorta happy to be here, in a field, to find some dry straw to make the most comfortable bed i had outside. I eat my dinner consisting of a bit of dark bread, an old salami and a cucomber... I also realize i am realy tired and i dont have much water left and there is none to find around. The Salami makes me realy thirsty, it seems like i found one more thing i am alergic to : cucombers and the noise of the barking dogs and crickets starts to get on my nerve. All this and the solitude (big contrast with Belgrade party scene) adds up to a small panic attack, alone in the middle of nowehre...
Thank you Apple, Aerius and cortisone... The sweet sounds from my ipod calms me down, th Aerious stops the alergic reaction and the cortisone buzzes me out, i can finaly fall asleep and rest without thinking i will never wake up :)
After 2 weeks in a big city, with a confy bed and late bedtime, i am sorta happy to be here, in a field, to find some dry straw to make the most comfortable bed i had outside. I eat my dinner consisting of a bit of dark bread, an old salami and a cucomber... I also realize i am realy tired and i dont have much water left and there is none to find around. The Salami makes me realy thirsty, it seems like i found one more thing i am alergic to : cucombers and the noise of the barking dogs and crickets starts to get on my nerve. All this and the solitude (big contrast with Belgrade party scene) adds up to a small panic attack, alone in the middle of nowehre...
Thank you Apple, Aerius and cortisone... The sweet sounds from my ipod calms me down, th Aerious stops the alergic reaction and the cortisone buzzes me out, i can finaly fall asleep and rest without thinking i will never wake up :)
Straaaaaawww bed
Early wake...
mardi 1 juillet 2008
Some surprises in the Durmitor, day I
Bon reveil dans une tente ca m'etait pas arrive depuis hier... a non meme pas vrais.
-Yea we know we just slept outside.
-It is colder up there.
-Yea ok. So what about huts?
-They are privat.
-No mountain huts?
-No.
-Why does it say so on the map then?
-This is old map, i have new one if you want.
- ... (checking the printing date) It is not old, it is from 2007!
- Oh yes, ok soooo... here there is a camping and huts, but you have to pay, or maybe not, bacaus nobody will be up there yet... (he shows us a valley, or rathere a circus in the mountains)
- Nevermind, can you recomend some areas in this park?
- Euuuu you can check the lake (typical tourist atraction here...)
- Yea we will do that but after, further?
- it is still early, there is snow, tourist season did not start. I dont recomend you go anywhere...
- Mmm yea we saw the snow. What altitude does it start? how much is there?
- O last week a guide took some tourist, they were warned it would not be easy but wanted to go, they had snow until there hips...
- ????? (what the #ç%! is he talking about, its june, this mountin goes up to some 2500m... cant be no fresh snow...)
- And you should be carfull, it is dangerous, snow glides, you know, avalanches...
- ?!? (now this, i get the impression this guy never went further than the lake and spends days watching youtube...) Ok we will be carfull. Ciao.
- Ok Ciao, hope i helped you out...
First stop, at the crno jezero (black lake), full of tourist, the autobus of kids is yieling on the other side... short stop, some jokes, some songs and lets go up. The walk up is not easy becaus of the heavy packs. At least the sun is not shining to hard and we are not sweating to much.
Small break on a rock full of lizards. In the back you can see the Bogotov Kuk we are planing to climp if there is not too much snow up there. Now our aim is to find a base camp to put our stuff and from where we can do smaller day walks around.
Alain, fully packed on this beautifull carpet of grass, in sight of what i going to be our camp.
Sorry i was reading the blog of my French co travler. Got all frenched up... So we woke up and got on our way to the supermarket, got a map, some food for several days. Damn the back pack si heavy, must be close to 20 kilos with the added water and food for 3-4 days... Alain goes to the post office and gets slightly driven mad by the local o so slow o so not english understanding post man! Ok lets go!
We decide to check with the information point first for extra info about the huts and camping/fire places. Ariving there, there is only a young guy, bored, watching youtube videos who will be all but helpfull! Here is more or less what our conversation was like:
-He first tells us it is cold.-Yea we know we just slept outside.
-It is colder up there.
-Yea ok. So what about huts?
-They are privat.
-No mountain huts?
-No.
-Why does it say so on the map then?
-This is old map, i have new one if you want.
- ... (checking the printing date) It is not old, it is from 2007!
- Oh yes, ok soooo... here there is a camping and huts, but you have to pay, or maybe not, bacaus nobody will be up there yet... (he shows us a valley, or rathere a circus in the mountains)
- Nevermind, can you recomend some areas in this park?
- Euuuu you can check the lake (typical tourist atraction here...)
- Yea we will do that but after, further?
- it is still early, there is snow, tourist season did not start. I dont recomend you go anywhere...
- Mmm yea we saw the snow. What altitude does it start? how much is there?
- O last week a guide took some tourist, they were warned it would not be easy but wanted to go, they had snow until there hips...
- ????? (what the #ç%! is he talking about, its june, this mountin goes up to some 2500m... cant be no fresh snow...)
- And you should be carfull, it is dangerous, snow glides, you know, avalanches...
- ?!? (now this, i get the impression this guy never went further than the lake and spends days watching youtube...) Ok we will be carfull. Ciao.
- Ok Ciao, hope i helped you out...
This guy was of striclty no help and as we later discovered, he was the greatest danger on this treck, he indicated us the wrong circus, in the one he said, there was no hut, no camping, just snow and rocks...
So we start walking and discover more and more that this Park might be Unesco clasified, it could also be calsified as a land field... Garbage everywhere on the street side...
First stop, at the crno jezero (black lake), full of tourist, the autobus of kids is yieling on the other side... short stop, some jokes, some songs and lets go up. The walk up is not easy becaus of the heavy packs. At least the sun is not shining to hard and we are not sweating to much.Small break on a rock full of lizards. In the back you can see the Bogotov Kuk we are planing to climp if there is not too much snow up there. Now our aim is to find a base camp to put our stuff and from where we can do smaller day walks around.Alain, fully packed on this beautifull carpet of grass, in sight of what i going to be our camp.We reach our objective after some 2-3 hours very much interupted walk. I almost twisted my left ankle again but its nothing bad, i can still walk and the nice journey up here is not compromised (altough i tough so for a while, i realy have to do something about this ankle that keeps twisting). So no worries mom and dad, it all fine, i can still run around on the rocks! So we found this beautifull bivouk from where we will do the next walks. But the day is not over we decide to do one today!
More about this tomorrow!
More about this tomorrow!
samedi 7 juin 2008
Walking with the Bears
The morning is grey but it is not poring down so we decide to give it a try!.
We have been walking for 15 minits, got lost once for a couple meters and it starts to rain. We make it to the next hut, a neighbor actually, 15min avay. Goran and Marko stop for a cigarette "lets wait if it gets any better" but the rain just poors down more and more ...
We have been walking for 15 minits, got lost once for a couple meters and it starts to rain. We make it to the next hut, a neighbor actually, 15min avay. Goran and Marko stop for a cigarette "lets wait if it gets any better" but the rain just poors down more and more ...They decide to go back to the gut, in the warm, have a couple beers :) I really want to see if it is possible to get over that mountain to the other side so i keep going, it rains of and on, sometimes strongly sometimes just a little.
First surprise, a smashed animal, he fell from the rocks in the background. I tryed to make a dramatic picture :) Well i m no photograph so no wonder this just looks like nothing. The grey stuff in the forground are the guts of the animal all over the path....
Second surprise, some track, not any tracks..... I m not alone in this mountain :)
The top... its cloudy and i cant see anything i ll walk around a bit more but apart from more bear tracks and the impressive flight of a dozen "aigle" above my head i wont find no track... It gets cold so i decide to go back to the warm hut and definatly give up the idea of getting to the Trenta valley this way. Dont want to be eaten by bears or freeze my ass alone somewhere out there....
Tomorrow i ll head south! somewhere warm! enought rain and clouds....
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