On The Road Again!

 WELCOME to the new section about my travels!

Those of you who have read my posts in the section "Traveling in the World of Books" probably remember that I promised a surprise with the appearance of the new part about my travels and the occasion to reread "Shogun" again. YES, my dream of visiting the Land of the Rising Sun - Japan, has come true.

In early April this year, with the assistance of the RavelTravel agency, we - a total of 24 people - flew half the planet /10 hours of non-stop flight/ from Istanbul to the island state. It is no coincidence that this is the country that first welcomes our celestial body, it is no coincidence that many eyes are directed there, it is no coincidence that it is leading in every respect - economically, culturally and spiritually, and an example for the rest of the world to follow.

Our program was extremely rich and dynamic, in this short time we were able to touch the main sights - Shinto and Buddhist shrines, visit places of worship, enjoy old customs, transform into geishas and samurais and more, and more. I do not undertake to arrange each of them in ascending order, they were all exciting and unforgettable, they will be remembered for a long time.

As our guide Eleonora used to say, no one leaves Japan forever!!! She herself received her education here, extremely erudite and resourceful, she turned every place she visited into a fairy tale, giving us invaluable knowledge about the distant country.

Our arrival in Osaka, the day before the opening of the World Expo, which repeats the one from 50 years ago, happened quite late. Tired, most of us headed to the hotel to be ready for the next day, which is scheduled to enjoy the Sakura, the cherry blossoms. Well, there is no such experience.

It's been a long time since I've shared about books I've read, and that's no coincidence! I decided to recall a few of the most famous works by an author I've forgotten - Archibald Cronin, some of which have been filmed, apparently for a reason. "The Way of Dr. Shannon", "The Hatter's Castle", "The Citadel" are just some of them, which in those years, when there was not a wide choice on the book market, I was immersed in another world, very different from today's.

Having started his career as a doctor, having gone through the horrors of World War I, having gained the position of a respected doctor and scientist, he devoted himself to writing after ending his medical practice and, as he himself admits in his autobiographical book "Adventures in Two Worlds", he followed his calling to write. As I have repeatedly stated - writing is a difficult job and is not for everyone, so in this case I again support this opinion, based on the volume and diversity of his work. And his own admission of the gravity of this occupation leaves no doubt that you have to be completely dedicated to what you do. And his own admission of the gravity of this occupation leaves no doubt that you have to be completely dedicated to what you do. 

Persistence was rewarded many times over with his first novel - "The Hatter's Castle", an amazing work that characterizes the mores and morality of those years. It is no coincidence that many of the characters in the following books are doctors - "The Way of Doctor Shannon", "The Citadel", "The Stars Shine Above" and some others, in which the author recalls his difficult path as a young doctor, searching for his place as such, and as a scientist, and the difficulties accompanying these aspirations of his. It is by no means easy, which leads to a deterioration in his health, and literature has benefited from this.

Our arrival in Osaka, the day before the opening of the World Expo, which repeats the one from 50 years ago, happened quite late. Tired, most of us headed to the hotel to be ready for the next day, during which we were scheduled to get acquainted with a piece of Japanese history - Osaka Castle. A remarkable facility of both defensive and civil character, built and destroyed repeatedly, it tells a wonderful tale of bygone times and heroes. Crowds of tourists, local and foreign, strict entry regime, impeccable and respectful attitude towards children and adults, unique views from every direction, including the defensive moat, turned into an attraction. Crowds of tourists, local and foreign, strict entry regime, impeccable and respectful attitude towards children and adults, unique view from every direction, including towards the defensive moat, turned into an attraction. I immediately remembered that part of "Shogun" that describes the battle of the brown and the gray, supporters and enemies of the warring daimyo for the place of the shogun. The castle itself, like a snow-white crane, is perched on a hill, obviously impeccably maintained in a form that inspires wonder and admiration, and serves as an example of how to take care of our historical heritage. Even here I was impressed by the impeccable cleanliness, which I repeatedly saw and was amazed by!

The park belonging to the castle has many alleys that prepared us for tomorrow - to enjoy the blooming cherry trees - Sakura, a world-famous contemplation of these plantations, which served as the basis for more than one poem dedicated precisely to this spring experience. And when a light breeze blows, I have the feeling that it is snowing, to which the locals give their unconditional attention, and not only them!!!

That's the beauty of tourist trips - from the era of the shoguns and samurai, we quickly find ourselves in the 21st century, the era of modernism and new technologies. Umeda Sky Building is the modern calling card of Osaka, with its 175 m height and 40 floors, it is the symbol of today, and perhaps tomorrow. Let's not forget that it was built over 30 years, and it couldn't be otherwise when it comes to high-tech architecture. 

The initial design envisioned the building having 4 towers, but the economic crisis of the 1980s necessitated a change in the plan and the towers remained 2. In themselves, they are imposing and         impressive, giving the place a cosmic appearance, I had the feeling that an interplanetary ship would take off from it at any moment. Today, this futuristic object is used most rationally, with areas for all kinds of activities - restaurants, shops, meeting and event halls, office space, open areas in the highest part, and of course, a major tourist attraction, visited daily by hundreds of people thirsty for unusual experiences. Believe me, you really feel very strange in this place.

The afternoon of this first day in Japan was declared free in the Nanba Shinsaibashi area. I admit, my vocabulary is not rich enough to describe in detail what I saw and experienced in those few hours. I will only note that I registered over 16,000 steps, which is an absolute record for me. As I described above - crowds of tourists /local and foreign/, all kinds of languages, noise, din, light boards, street-food zones, crabs, sushi, local delicacies, people chewing and drinking, local street-fashion, heavily made-up /to the point of grotesque/ girls and boys, attraction boats on some of the tributaries of the Yodo River.

The highlight of the day (at least for me) was lunch at one of the taverns in a small street, which offers a choice of vegetables, mushrooms and other local delicacies to "cook" a Japanese dish. I admit, I didn't do well, it was quite spicy for my taste, the noodles (our vermicelli) predominated, the rest, probably steamed, was watery and I didn't even try it. But the experience was unique, it cannot be repeated at our latitudes.

The second day of our stay here started very early, we had a long walk to Yoshimo Park, where the unforgettable "Sakura" awaits us, the flowering of Japanese ornamental cherry trees. The Japanese have an enviable feeling for nature and its creations. Every leaf, stalk, flower has its purpose in their spiritual life, which explains and demands their worship. "The fleeting charm of things" is the formula with which they describe the brief moment that nature offers them to enjoy what is happening around.

And here I will remind you of an episode from "Shogun", in which Omi contemplates the raindrops flowing from the leaves of a tree, while in the cauldron one of the crew members of the foreign ship is being tortured. For us Europeans, it is difficult to accept such practices, just as for an involuntary act of disobedience, the head of an ordinary person costs, but this is the order of things in those years.

During the long journey to Yoshimo Park, I had the opportunity to observe everything that accompanied us - roads, villages and towns, infrastructure, lots of greenery and flowering bushes, impeccable cleanliness and shiny cars, trucks, buses, local trains. I was amazed by the organization of the recycling points.

Each pile of waste was carefully covered, pressed down so that it would not be blown away by the wind, but I did not see if they were labeled, I would not be surprised if they were. This order speaks for itself about the attitude towards work, regardless of its nature, the care to fulfill your duties in the best possible way. If we all applied this approach, would the results of our work be on par with what I saw and admired?!?!?

And now for the main thing! Yoshino Park is forested with over 30 thousand cherry trees, which bloom sequentially to ensure a longer duration and allow more visitors to enjoy the unforgettable view. Large arrays of delicate pink-white flowers stretch as far as the eye can see, and the lovers of this view are numerous - local and foreign, one of which was our group of 24 people. Unfortunately, I could not recreate the aroma of the blossoms in writing - a light, barely perceptible delicate scent that fills the air around, and when the breeze blows - the fallen petals fall like snowflakes. A beauty that is beyond description, but deeply enchanting. It is worth traveling half the world just to touch this experience and keep it deep in your heart and soul!!!

Coincidentally or not, we witnessed an impressive religious ceremony /I don't dare to define it - Shinto or Buddhist/, but it was well organized, spectacularly presented and watched by many spectators, especially since it was a Saturday. Very strange /to my eyes/ clothing, regalia, chants and a specific dance accompanied the participants, but due to our limited time we did not wait for the end.

After a typical Japanese lunch at Takabatakecho in the old capital of Nara /I admit with my hand on my heart that I did not like and could not swallow this food - strange, tasteless, for my taste, sticky, overcooked, etc., but I survived it with red caviar and baked slices with sugar ....../, we visited the famous Shinto temple Todaiji, located in the park of freely moving deer and roe deer. A shrine of the Fujiwara clan, founded in the second half of the 8th century AD, it houses countless bronze and stone lanterns that were donated over the centuries by the ruling aristocracy, and not only by them, I think. They say that men who have sinned make large donations and gifts to atone for their sins, whether this applies to these cases, I do not venture to guess, but I assume so.

Unfortunately, I didn't have enough physical strength to admire the inside of the largest wooden temple in the world and the massive bronze statue of Buddha, but on the other hand, I had the pleasure of watching the deer and deer freely roaming the park, who have mastered the Japanese bow, discreetly nudge you to give them some of the rice cookies that only they can eat.

After a long and emotionally charged day, we settled into a wonderful hotel in the center of Kyoto, the old capital of the island nation and home of the emperor for centuries. I need to get some sleep and rest, because tomorrow is also an exciting day that I am looking forward to. How will I look in a geisha outfit, will I fit in with dignity during the tea ceremony, I have yet to find out?!?!?

As I expected, the day turned out to be very long and full of excitement and emotions. The tea ceremony is known around the world as an important element of Japanese culture, which has no other analogue. The Japanese themselves define it as a meeting of friends, during which they demonstrate their good feelings for each other in silence and symbolic purification. . I can't imagine being in complete silence for up to 5 hours and only expressing your feelings with certain gestures and sounds?!?!? For centuries, this tea meeting has been taking place in a strictly defined order - specific vessels, gestures, behavior, each of which has its own meaning. Whether you turn the bamboo brush left or right, whether you turn the cup in one direction or the other, whether you put the little sweets in front of you or to the sides, everything follows the prescribed order. I failed to mention that you must take off your shoes barefoot, as is the practice everywhere (just be careful not to wear torn socks, you'll be a laughing stock!!!). I admitted that I didn't like the matcha tea at all, it was like drinking a decoction of grass, with a slightly bitter aftertaste, I don't understand why the world is crazy about this grass?!?! But this is their way of life and culture, which differ from our customs and understandings, we respect them because we are guests, we accept them, but we don't have to like them, right?

I admitted that I didn't like the matcha tea at all, it was like drinking a decoction of grass, with a slightly bitter aftertaste, I don't understand why the world is crazy about this grass?!?! But this is their way of life and culture, which differ from our customs and understandings, we respect them because we are guests, we accept them, but we don't have to like them, right?

Again a typical Japanese lunch in Kyoto-Higashishirokojicho, and then in Kikusuibokocho we will transform into geishas and samurais, dressed in traditional clothes. Now I understand why geishas had many assistants, it is not easy to dress in a kimono by yourself! We chose clothes to our liking and several employees helped us transform into geishas. I admitted that I had a hard time catching my breath after tightening the obi, and not only me, but as we say: "Babe, bear it for the sake of beauty". The rain did not interfere with our wonderful mood and the photo shoot that would preserve our extraordinary vision for generations. Today's hectic day has also affected Japanese women, who very rarely and only on special occasions dress in traditional kimonos, as the "samurai" do.

Kiyomizu Temple, or the Temple of Pure Water, the famous Sanjusangendo, which preserves 1001 statues of the goddess of mercy Kanon, one of the most revered goddesses in Japanese religion, are the next religious shrines to visit. It turned out that besides Buddha, the Japanese do not have one god - as in Christianity or Islam - Jesus Christ or Allah, but they have many deities - kami, who help them in one way or another. And here I will recall "Shogun", during one of the conversations Mariko explains to Blackthorn the concept of kamikaze - kami is the good spirit, and kaze - the holy saint who helped the Japanese fleet defeat the Chinese and Mongols in one of the countless battles between them. In addition to the museum exposition, the gardens also deserve attention, but due to the rainy weather we could not enjoy them.

The third day in Kyoto was no less exciting, and it couldn't be otherwise, since you are in another world for a short time, so different from the one you have known until now. The Shinto shrine Fushimi Inari, home to 10,000 torii /gates/ in the typical red color, attracts thousands of tourists. It is believed that whoever has passed through them, how will you pass through this many gates?, is purified. I wonder how the locals satisfy their need for solitude and concentration on their own needs, while tourists are everywhere. Often, they, not belonging to this religion, do not take into account the situation, eat, drink, talk loudly, which the Japanese do not allow themselves to do in any way.

The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, the Katsura River, the famous Togekutso Bridge, rickshaws pulled by human power, kayaks ready to storm the waters of the river, countless shops, galleries, souvenirs, numerous tourists attacking the local landmark. And what peace you feel, sinking into the magical lights of high-rising bamboo plantations. What a pleasure for the ears to get rid of the human noise of all kinds of spoken languages.

The last object on today's schedule was the Golden Temple. There is no such beauty!!! The aristocracy allowed themselves the luxury of building magnificent buildings, maintaining amazing gardens. Special care is taken for them even today, we saw an 800-year-old tree that is propped up so that it does not collapse from old age. At the end of the day, the sun cast reflections on the pond in which the temple is reflected, and the photos we took will remind us of this splendor for a long time.

The city of Himeji is home to a beautiful castle, known as the White Heron, which has been the only one in its original form for over 400 years. It is incredible that its tower has never been captured, although there have been battles and they were not isolated. Legends and mystery accompany its history, the truth is somewhere in the middle, but the view is unique. Again a protected moat, today an attraction with floating boats, cherry trees and Falling petals, huge stone blocks carried by hand by the subjects of the local daimyo. Impeccable order, incredible cleanliness, crowds of tourists give the historical landmark a fitting sense of eternity. The Kokoen Garden, adjacent to the castle, built according to tradition, is a place where the lord and his retinue enjoy the flowers and shrubs, the murmur of small waterfalls, and the floating colorful fish. An idyll and a dream for each of us to break away from the dynamics of today for a moment!!! How can a person leave this piece of peace, solitude, how can he not enjoy the peace that the babbling water and the amazing aroma of the blooming flowers fill the air, how the street noise is drowned out by the amazing greenery, but ..... we are only tourists and our place is different. The local guide did not take into account the opening hours of the Sake Museum and the visit to this site was canceled. The intervention of the bus driver saved the situation by taking us to a sake distillery. We tried their latest production, reminiscent of our own liqueur, and bought a lot of local specialties, how could we miss the opportunity to please our loved ones with the most traditional Japanese product, known all over the world!

The last day in Kyoto is scheduled for free time and shopping. Since I don't like shopping, I allowed myself to walk around the hotel, take photos of objects and people at will, enjoy the views and hide them in my heart. The most notable was the annual performance of professional geishas Miyako Odori. Today, the number of these priestesses of art has greatly decreased to 80 thousand, who for 125 millionToday, the number of these priestesses of art has greatly decreased to 80 thousand, which is negligible for 125 million Japan, but it enjoys great attendance and popularity. The traditional art of geishas is very Japanese, in my eyes and ears everything was monotonous, unmelodious, incomprehensible. It would be good to explain the individual scenes, dances, the instrumental and vocal parts, so that we feel part of the performance. I doubt that any of the interested parties will read this blog, but the organizers should keep in mind that these performances are attended not only by Japanese people, which will increase the number of visitors and make them empathetic to this art. 

The luggage drop was a whole attraction for me! Japanese courier companies offer to deliver passenger luggage to the final destination, I didn't understand how much it costs, but the surprise was that the driver with gloves took our suitcases and carefully arranged them in the van. And indeed, at the end of the day they were neatly arranged in the lobby of the hotel in Tokyo, while we traveled and saw the sights.

Our farewell to Kyoto was exciting for several reasons: we visited a hotel where there were robots at the reception desk performing the administrative functions of live employees!!! Strange-looking in appearance, they made all sorts of faces to attract our attention and they really succeeded. We had no way of understanding what exactly they were doing, because something else was waiting for us.

We passed the road from Kyoto to Tokyo unnoticed on the Shinkansen high-speed train. There was no way we could see employees cramming passengers into the train, this happens when the passenger flow is particularly large, especially on holidays. But it was no less exciting. We stopped at only one station - Yokohama for a few minutes, and we covered the distance between the two cities in about 2 hours. Besides the speed, another stunning sight was the sun-drenched Mount Fuji. It looks cone-shaped from afar and at first glance easily accessible. Yes, but no!!! The management of the sacred mountain has designated only 2 months a year - July and August, and 2 the route to reach the summit, and from this year other restrictive measures are planned to limit the number of tourists, including determining health status, since accidents have become more frequent in recent years. There are probably other reasons for this decision, but the Japanese will strictly apply them, it is in their upbringing and mentality, and what foreigners will say, we can only guess.

The three days in Tokyo passed like a dream, at least for me. The cosmopolitan city with its nearly 40 million daily visitors (locals and foreigners); the sacred Kaminari Gate, a must-see, especially for local pilgrims; the impeccable transportation system; the multitude of skyscrapers; countless shrines - Shinto and Buddhist -Asakusa and Meiji; parks, ponds, attractions of all kinds; the famous Ginza, street food, tourists from all over the world; the busiest intersection in the world Shibuya and the statue of the famous dog Hachiko, for a photo with whom you have to wait in line for a photo. They say that this intersection during one cycle of the traffic light passes about 3000 people, the size of a small village in our country?!?!? And indeed, you may feel dizzy from this movement! The districts of Akihabara, Nakamise and Harajuku should also not be underestimated as destinations for shopping or walking. 

Tokyo is crossed by many rivers and canals from the ocean, along which there is a constant movement of sea vessels with different purposes - passenger and pleasure ships and boats, merchant ships, tankers, etc. similar for any cargo.

I kept wondering how the city government manages to control and regulate all this traffic, ensure the safety of citizens and tourists, and maintain impeccable cleanliness! How can they not see a bag floating in the sky, a pack of cigarettes (and they smoke there!), a cigarette butt, a piece of paper, and there are no trash cans?!?!?

I was able to see how well known Bulgaria is in the distant island country from a chance meeting on a boulevard while we were crossing at a traffic light. A young man driving a modern sports car asked me where I was from. When I heard the answer "Bulgaria", notice that they don't have the letter "L" in their phonetics, so we replace it with "R", his reply shocked me "Ooo, Kotooshu", i.e. there is a Bulgarian trace there too, which we are pleased to note with a positive sign. Not to mention the many advertisements of the company "Meiji", which, among other products, produces yogurt with Bulgarian bacteria - lactobacillicus bultaricum. I admit, I felt very proud that our country is mentioned with the best examples and feelings.

The old capital of Japan /one of several.../ Kamakura was the last destination for this unforgettable experience. Located in close proximity to the ocean, with surfing enthusiasts /I failed to mention that the Japanese are a very sporty nation, which is taken special care of by the state/, fishermen, and families walking on the holiday. We visited the Shinto shrine of Enoshima, the road to which is lined with all sorts of restaurants, bars, shops, offering everything and anything. Not to mention countless tourists - Japanese and others. I was very impressed, and not only there, many families were pushing baby strollers in which they placed ...dogs. Apparently this drop in birth rate that I shared above has led to this result!?!?! It's not easy to raise a child, ask any mother in the world, while animals are another matter, not quite, but still!?!? 

Our return home was a long one, 12 hours of non-stop flight, but that's inevitable after visiting the land of the rising sun.

Thank you to "Ravel-Travel" for this unique and unforgettable journey, as Eleonora said - No one leaves Japan forever, this will be true for me for a long time! I believe that by reading this short travelogue, you have managed to see through my eyes, soul and heart the unknown and distant country, and if there is anything useful from this reading, apply it to your day and life, believe me, it is not that complicated!

If you follow what I write, you probably noticed that this time I'm moving in the opposite direction - 2025, 2024, 2023, while before the pandemic of 2020 it was in a sequential order. But there's a first time for everything, and now I'm confirming this thought. My travels don't stop, even though after the big adventure - the round-the-world trip in 2019, I thought I was done with them. Yes, but no, as a famous journalist said some time ago!!! My desire to explore this endless world will never subside, on the contrary, and you will see for yourself! 

Before I continue with the description of the Danube river cruise, I must give due recognition and respect for the professionalism of the travel agency "Danube Tours", through which I carried out this exciting adventure. Punctual, accurate, precise employees organized everything - cruise package, plane tickets /coordinated with our requirements/, transfers, shore excursions and all with desire, personal attitude and smile, for which I sincerely thank them. I assured them that they won me over as a client for a long time!!!

And now for the Danube cruise itself from Vienna, Melk, Passau, Dürnstein, Budapest and Bratislava. An unforgettable journey! 

And since I'm starting from the end to the beginning, I'll focus on our last evening on board, when the cruise director Margaret had taken the trouble to diversify, unite and test our knowledge in several areas - music, sports, literature. We were divided into teams of 4 people. We happened to be teammates with two Germans. The funny thing about it was that they didn't know Bulgarian (I forgot to mention that we were 2 Bulgarians in an entirely German group of tourists), English, Russian, and we didn't know German. Just imagine what kind of team we were, but we managed with the help of gestures, facial expressions and lots and lots of laughter, we managed quite well.

. One point was not enough for us to take 3rd place and a bottle of wine, and our angry captain even disputed our points with the inspection team. I haven't experienced such fun, so much laughter to the point of tears like schoolgirls during recess, in a long time, a moment that will not be repeated, but will not be forgotten either!

If you have followed the previous parts of the blog, you will probably remember that before this river cruise I traveled on large ships on seas and oceans Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia. The vast expanse of water does not offer such views as sailing on a river. I was able to enjoy life by the river, to follow numerous castles and monasteries, fortress walls winding along the steep bank, protective structures to protect against high waters. We had a colorful autumn, with all the colors - gold, red, brown, still here and there green, the reflections of which moved with the water.

Of particular interest to me was the passage of the ship through the locks, I don't remember their exact number in this section /maybe 8-10/. I have always admired the engineering thought that has helped overcome natural features so that a person can use them in their own interest. True, they have cost a lot of work, resources, time, but the results are more than good, not to mention their profitability.If I remember correctly, the Panama Canal generates $50 million a day from passing vessels, which is not a small amount, despite the fact that it has claimed many human and material casualties, but large construction projects have always been accompanied by losses, which is why they are so valuable. I watched with interest how the crew handled the equipment, how the concrete cells were filled and emptied, how the metal doors were opened and closed, and I couldn't stop admiring the view. 

The variety of different ships, barges, tugs, tankers, and ordinary boats surprised me! I couldn't believe that the traffic was so intense, and it couldn't be, considering, that the Danube is the second longest river in Europe and connects more than 10 countries. Subsequently, I studied that water navigation has a long history, rules and regulators for implementation, measures for safe use. My respects to the people and institutions that take care of ensuring that these nearly 3000 meters of the river flow safely.

The last city on the visit program was Bratislava, a young European capital with a population of nearly 500,000, calm in its old history and a modern river junction. All kinds of ships were moored at the port, and I learned that there are speedboats between Bratislava and Vienna, which transport tourists, probably also working people, between the two cities in a short time. The old part is well preserved, with iconic buildings - public and private, many cozy cafes, restaurants, galleries, monuments to famous Slovenian personalities. The National Theater proudly stands near the gate, well preserved and maintained, the government buildings are the object of mass visits by tourists, and from the top near the parliament an unforgettable view of the majestic river opens.

A beautiful autumn happened, which had colored trees and bushes in different colors and shades, many flowers, cleanliness and tranquility accompanied us on our tour of this city. In the short time here we saw and learned a lot, took wonderful photos and kept priceless memories. I would return for longer, to share the life of the locals, who say that they are very warm and hospitable, I hope I can confirm it personally.

Our stay in the Hungarian capital Budapest made several of my dreams come true - to see and feel the Hungarian wilderness, to try original goulash, to sip a sip of palinka, to hear the Hungarian Rhapsody performed live by a local orchestra, to experience the atmosphere of Hungarian merriment. And all this in less than 48 hours, true magic.

Autumn sun, light wind, gently falling leaves from the trees, beautiful colors on bushes and flowers welcome us warmly, as if they had been expecting our arrival. The attractions started right from the entrance - souvenir photos, horse-drawn carts for a tour of the farm, a horse and jockey show with performances of varying complexity, a traditional feast, and of course a souvenir shop.

Our initial disappointment that we didn't get hurt in the first carts turned into satisfaction after just the two of us got into a simple cart with a white horse. It was indeed bumpy on the rutted road, but these are not the paved paths in the park, but trails on which horses and people train daily to maintain their skills and charm the diverse audience. I have no doubt that travel agencies take tourists quite often, they too must profit from the original attraction, after all, this is the Hungarian wilderness and national pride. I noticed many young boys and men who worked to achieve such synchronization between themselves and the horses, armed with special whips that made an unusual sound.Just thinking about the work of these people and their pets, the care they take to maintain the health of the animals, and this for days, months, years, I have to give them my amazement and respect. There is nothing to talk about lunch - Hungarian delicacies, quite spicy and varied, served with taste, only for hungry people.

Personally, I liked the little chickens the most, warm, smelling of homemade pastries, which inevitably reminded me of my childhood. A walk through the park, outside the busy summer season, revealed to me how big the farm is, how many buildings there are, housing horses and people, how this farm survives in today's difficult times. My bow to their work is just a small gesture of respect and gratitude for today's emotions!!!

The bus tour of Budapest showed us the most beautiful things in the city - the parliament building, which is reflected in the river, iconic monuments, bridges /one of them was designed by Gustave Eiffel himself/, parks, gardens and beaches by the river, the famous Halls, Turkish baths. The 2 million city with its transport, the crowds of people and vehicles really surprised me. - buses, trams, boats of all sizes and purposes fill the streets and boulevards around the clock.

Our cult visit to a local restaurant with live music surprised me for several reasons. I won't dwell on another version of Hungarian goulash and brandy, on the everyday atmosphere, I was most impressed by the Germans. They say they were cold and reserved, nothing like that - they sang and had fun like Balkans, they even performed one of their customs - to cross their shoulders and at the top of their voices to welcome the orchestra, there was even a presence on the dance floor. This is how all the people in the world have fun!!! I couldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen and heard it with my own eyes and ears. Thus, another myth about the northern peoples was debunked!!!

Today we will visit one of the largest and most important holy places for the Hungarian people - the St. Adalbert Cathedral in Esztergom. Here is the seat of the Primate of Hungary, a building built, destroyed and rebuilt over the centuries, but which has preserved its spirit and purpose, despite all kinds of invasions - Mongols, Czechs, Turks.

The cathedral is imposing and against the background of the river it seems unattainable, we moved towards it on a train, a fun attraction. The sand-yellow and red color prevails, both outside and inside, quite simple, I would even say ascetic, without the ostentation of other religious temples that I have visited. But even so, it inspires respect and reverence, so necessary for its purpose. As I mentioned earlier, since the group was entirely German tourists, the story was told in German, and we could only guess about the history of the temple, its builders and donors, as well as many other details. But there's Google, we'll ask for details when we get home.

The crystal clear blue sky of the beautiful autumn allowed us to enjoy the exterior and gardens around the cathedral and this to some extent compensates for the lack of English translation. But it is still very good! It was interesting for us to learn that Esztergom is twinned with the Slovak town of Šturovo via a bridge over the Danube, and even more significant for us Bulgarians was that here, In Pannonia in the past, the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius resided to carry out a Christian mission against German influence. This is how our national pride was raised with this historical fact, but how to explain it to the Germans, who do not speak any other language besides their own, perhaps the younger generation will be more adaptable to today and tomorrow, to communicate freely with their peers around the world!!!

We are moving towards the beginning of our adventure, visiting the so-called Apricot Valley, Krems and Dürnstein, quiet and peaceful German towns located along the banks of the river, whose hills are surrounded by vineyards, and where the apricot plantations are, we can only guess. Sunday meant empty streets, closed shops, light traffic, church bells and services and many, many tourists. Until now, it had never occurred to me that apricots could be transformed into different products, besides jam and compote. We drank brandy and liqueur, tried marmalade with chocolate, watched an educational film about the stages of processing and storage of the products, and bought souvenir jars and bottles, of course - advertising and trade are inseparable, right!?!?! The work of those involved in the utilization of apricots is hard, especially considering the perishability of the fruit. Everyone is involved during the season - old and young, experienced and not so experienced, everyone is careful to harvest the crop and turn it into exquisite products, my respects to them!!!

The old part of Krems has preserved its bourgeois appearance, strict and whitewashed houses, winding streets, well-kept courtyards and gardens, still blooming bushes and flowers, the local churches on Sunday were visited by the residents of the town, music could be heard from the organs. The tradition of Sunday is still observed, which is commendable for today's times. It's Passau's turn, the city of three rivers - Danube, Inn and Ilz, which merge into the mighty Danube and continue their way east. There is a lot to see and feel here, an old part and the St. Stephen's Cathedral, Baroque and Gothic buildings, well maintained and managed, narrow and crooked streets surrounding the buildings and an incredible view of the river, and a Saturday and good weather suggest a lot of people - locals and tourists.

It's Passau's turn, the city of three rivers - the Danube, Inn and Ilz, coming from the north and south, which merge into the mighty Danube and continue their way east. There is a lot to see and feel here, the old part and the St. Stephen's Cathedral, Baroque and Gothic buildings, well maintained and managed, narrow and crooked streets surrounding the buildings and an incredible view of the river, and a Saturday and good weather suggest a lot of people - locals and tourists.Since the groups were changing here, again German tourists, the day's program was set as free and we moved to the old town, which we enjoyed for hours. And we experienced incredible pleasure in the cathedral, attending an organ concert, which takes place daily at 12 o'clock. Here is the largest organ in the world with more than 17 thousand pipes. And although the music was only playing from 2 out of 5 places (the others were under renovation), I had the feeling that it was coming from everywhere - from the floor, the ceiling, the walls!!! Nowhere else can you feel the genius of baroque musicians - Bach, Beethoven, Vivaldi and many others, performed on an organ, the acoustics are amazing, and the experience is worth every euro cent (just for reference - the ticket costs 5 euros???)

Every beginning has an end, in this case the order is reversed, but this does not diminish the significance of the river cruise, the emotions and memories stored in the heart, soul and photos. We will visit Melk and the Benedictine monastery and its famous library, which has preserved thousands and thousands of volumes of rare manuscripts and books. To this day, there are monks from this order here and for this reason access for tourists is strictly limited. I've been here before, but it always feels like the first time - the church, the library, the gardens, the well-maintained grounds, and the view of the Danube is incredible. The town is quiet in its daily rhythm, tourists enjoy the views, renovation work does not stop /that's why the buildings look like they've just been painted/, church music can be heard from afar.Time stopped centuries ago, at least that's how I feel, I don't even feel like leaving, but the schedule demands it.

Now that the end is near, I told you about those unforgettable days that reminded me why we should travel whenever and however we can, to get to know other countries and peoples, to fill ourselves with memories for a long time. I wish you the opportunity to enjoy your travels and preserve the memories of them!!! And if you decide to trust "Dunav-Tours" for this, you will not regret it, believe me, it's worth it!!!

As I have started, I continue to tell you about my travels in the past years. This time I will introduce you to the adventure Iceland '24. I have been here before, but this cruise we took with part of the family, which gave me security and peace of mind, which I really needed, as you will find out a little later. The 11-day journey began and ended in Scotland, this is the route. Leaving Reykjavik (I will return to this later), we were caught in a sea storm. In all my sailings I had never experienced such discomfort, not to mention seasickness, but now, apparently accompanied by some virus, I could not get out of bed for a whole day. This happened to my daughter, only the two grandchildren survived the ordeal. We even missed getting up close to the conditions in the backstage, which provides technical support for all the performances on the ship's stage. It is likely that the ship's balancers were faulty, causing such instability of the ship. This put us in extreme difficulty, and as a result we decided to leave earlier than planned and disembark in Lerwick /Scotland/. From there by plane to Edinburgh, then another plane via Vienna to Sofia. /Something curious that I should note - we taxied directly across the runway, which is the second of its kind, after the one in Gibraltar, crossing the path of the planes, there is not even a sound or other warning system/. What was most surprising to us was the lack of empathy on the part of the ship's management, who did not even ask us the reason for our landing. I am not blaming anyone, but my experience so far leads me to think that the ship is unsafe in such conditions, or the crew's inability to cope with the storm, which (according to our guesses) was not at its full strength. I can't imagine if this happened on another route or in another season, how would we have coped?!?

I won't comment on the days in the North Sea /4 days in total/, there are many entertainments on the ship, even more so those who want to dedicate themselves to them, information about which we received in the cabin every night, accompanied by a bar of chocolate for good night. This is standard, very nice, but as it turned out later, quite formal against the background of what was described above.

The stay in Reykjavik was very exciting /at least for me/, since we had signed up for whale watching. As our fellow mechanical engineer put it, the whales are not on the crew roster and we cannot expect them to appear immediately and entertain us. We need patience to enjoy their performance.  We spent nearly 2 hours at sea aboard a local boat, far from the shore, when we had the chance to watch the play of young whales, who were having fun, releasing the sucked air, accompanied by splashes of water. I did not expect that our presence would disturb them, especially the many boats, boats and other vessels that had gathered in this place. While we were waiting for them to appear, the captain talked over the intercom about the life of these large sea creatures, their habits and behavior, and last but not least, how people, ships and their activities disturb them. That is why the port authorities have extremely strict requirements for the organizers of this type of observation extremely strictly regulated and no one bothers to violate them, as the penalties are huge.

Vigur /the second largest island in the Westfjords, located south of the Arctic Circle/ is inhabited by only one family who takes care of its inhabitants - Arctic kangaroos, which abound here. Throughout our stay, their "songs" echoed throughout the area, they swam in the waters nearby, or lay on the grass. They showed us how the farm works - the eggs they laid are collected and stored /only one!!!/, their feathers are dried and cleaned by hand. Pillows and quilts are made from it, especially appreciated by the locals. In the small inn we were treated to a local cake - the sign says that it is a wedding cake /made today/, with gluten /which they regret/. The delicious treat is accompanied by aromatic coffee and a whole bowl of cream /you wonder where this milk comes from, since we didn't see any cows here???/. The highlight of our stay here is the POS terminal, through which we paid for small souvenirs!!! You wonder, how is it that just after the Arctic Circle there is such communication that is missing in the center of our capital??? Not to mention the smallest mailbox in the world, through which you can send your postcard wherever you want??? The surprises for this day are endless! 

During this time, the grandchildren practiced kayaking, one of the favorite activities of the locals, and it turned out that the tourists also liked it /we had announced our participation much earlier, because the places were taken up quickly/. In a relatively large area with calm waters, the young people organized races, which they enjoyed with all their hearts.

And it is impressive!!! The high slopes of Isafjord surround the small town, where the temperature even in August was too low for us, who come from hot Europe - only 13!! But the flowers and bushes bloom profusely, because the local government cares about the aesthetics of the environment, I did not see any bags or cigarette butts flying freely on the streets, the cleanliness is enviable. This is due to upbringing, as well as the maintenance of homes, public buildings, infrastructure, you can't break the rules, because they are for everyone and everyone!

Mivat - natural baths are located in close proximity to the other site included in our chosen tour - Skutustagahreppur I have a very hard time with Icelandic/, a remarkable place that I will tell you about in a moment.

The water gushes out of the ground from nearly 2500 m through a borehole, raises steam, hisses and fills the pools. The expansion of the facilities continues and is expected to be fully operational in 2 years for the benefit of locals and tourists. The water temperature allows you to freely immerse yourself in it, without swimming or diving, /I suspect it cools down with cold/, but we were warned to take off all silver jewelry, because the mineral water turns them black. You are required to wash before entering the pool, and then, if you want, visit the jacuzzi. I didn't dare to even put my feet in because it was so windy that I was worried about catching a cold, but the experience was worth it.

And now for Skutustagahrepppur /if this is the correct name of the place in my translation/. It is remarkable that only the road separates two worlds - on the left is the sparkling green forest, and on the left the desert terrain, colored in all the shades of the rainbow Not to mention the smell of rotten eggs! Water and mud periodically bubble, hiss, and spring up from the bowels of the earth. You must wear shoes because the soil is hot, the wind carries spray and the breath of the underworld /at least in my imagination, this is what hell looks like!/. There is an information board at the entrance about this natural attraction, warning signs everywhere protect curious visitors, cordons block off dangerous areas. According to the guide, it happens that some more undisciplined visitors get hurt!?!? I will never be able to explain the wonders of nature, the good thing is that they can be visited, seen with your own eyes, so you can feel how small we are in front of it and learn to respect and protect it! 

Fossholl waterfalls is another natural wonder that we enjoy. From afar you can hear the roar of the falling water, hundreds of people are flocking /that day there were maybe 10 buses!/ to the most . The waterfall feeds numerous rapids, there are countless islands around, the water is probably very cold because I didn't see any waterfowl.

I've always wondered how the planet's water resources are distributed. enchanting view, too bad we can't enjoy the rainbow because it's cloudy. Here and in Scandinavia, water is abundant, while in the south they process seawater because natural water is lacking - Malta, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Oman. No one chooses where to be born, they have to adapt to the conditions and live in peace with themselves, right!?!?!? 

Our stay in Akureyri is two days, from where the organized tours take off. The city is the largest in the north-eastern part of Iceland, an important port and fishing center. Clean, well-maintained, with a remarkable church (unfortunately under renovation), parks and gardens, abundant with flowers and shrubs. As far as I could tell from the posters, it also had a rich cultural program. To my surprise, I noticed a woman swimming calmly in the waters of the port, even though the air temperature was 12 degrees (I don't care about the water temperature), but she came out of it flushed and in a cheerful mood, to the shock of those watching her. 

I end with the very beginning of our journey - Kirkwall /Scotland/. And on my previous visit here I was pleasantly surprised by the general appearance of the town, by the historical and cultural monuments, by the cleanliness and order in it. The local authorities maintain this heritage, which they are obviously proud of. The austere facades of the old buildings and the church have been preserved over time, shops offer typical clothes /kilts - their national costume for men/ and souvenirs, small pastry shops tempt with local treats, and the lushly growing bushes and flowers give a festive look to the sunny day. A good start, which I will also add to our meeting with one of the ship's engineers /Bulgarian/, who was surprised by our speech and invited us to visit the backstage to understand how the facilities work during the evening shows. I mentioned above why we could not take advantage of the offer. I'm finishing up for this trip, there is more, but about it later!!!

Today I will tell you about an exciting trip - Firenze /as the Italians call their Florence/, the cradle of the European Renaissance, a mandatory destination for the aristocracy of the time /mainly men/, who visited the city as a continuation of their economic and cultural education. Here, young people from all over the known world draw on handfuls of the achievements of Michelangelo, Boccaccio, Botticelli, Dante, Leonardo and more, and more famous artists, architects, writers and poets, bankers and thinkers.

We dedicated the April vacation '24 of students in Bulgaria to this wonderful city, a city with history, traditions and a future, we combined the useful with the pleasant, we preserved priceless memories and photos that made us empathize with the magnificent city located on the Arno River. Outside the season of large crowds, it was possible to touch upon the achievements of the past without sharing space with an endless multitude, to avoid waiting in lines for sightseeing or for food. 

What greeted us and accompanied us all the way to the old town was created in the golden years of the famous patron families, especially the Medici and their appreciative representatives of art, who left indelible traces of their creativity in the 16th-19th centuries. Wherever you turn in the old town, you are greeted by buildings - public and private, even the street pavement dates back to those years. Piazza Signoria, Baptistery of Saint Giovanni, Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Vecchio, Pitti Palace, Piazza Michelangelo stand proudly in their place, built centuries ago, but meticulously maintained by local authorities today. 

We managed to touch this iconic historical heritage in the short time we had, thanks to our preliminary preparation. The purchased tickets, the booked culinary challenge classes, helped us gain a more complete picture of the city, one of many in the world that you must visit. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and its domes still evoke universal amazement and admiration, Giotto's bell contributes to such feelings. I wonder - how in those times, when almost everything was made by hand, architects and builders managed to build such an imposing building? Since then, it has been strictly forbidden to erect buildings taller than the dome of the cathedral in this part of the city. 

We visited the world-famous Uffizi Gallery with a guide, a middle-aged woman, who took us through the main halls, where we could enjoy the artistic heritage. I focused my attention mainly on Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" because shortly before that I had read a book about this genius. If a person is a specialist and needs to familiarize themselves with the exhibits in depth, in my opinion, they will have to stay here for at least 1 year to carefully read the catalogs and explanations for each exhibited statue, sketch, graphic, painting.

The interactive Leonardo da Vinci Museum is a site for technicians to visit, who can appreciate the exhibits. Propellers, wheels, carousels, puzzles, buzzing and moving machines awaken the curiosity of young and old. We were able to pay due attention to a technical genius who contributed and was ahead of his time with his inventions and left his mark on the collective memory.

One of the exciting visits was the baroque concert, performed by men on 7 string instruments - violin, viola, cello and double bass. The performances were met with sincere admiration by the audience - young and old, which was also contributed to by the acoustics of the hall /I don't remember the exact name, but it is used for musical and theatrical performances/.

Particularly memorable were the culinary lessons - making fresh pasta, pizza and ice cream. The terms used by the organizers of these courses are still ringing, especially the name of the flour for the pasta - simmolina /it turned out that you can buy such flour in Bulgaria too?/. The whole organization, the subtle humor of the host /I assume the owner of the establishment/, our grouping into teams /there were also representatives from America/, were accompanied by a glass of red wine. Whether from the emotions, the boiling strips of pasta or from it, in the end we all had red cheeks. The mood was excellent, the pasta - delicious, the recognition we received assured us that we could prepare it at home /not that we repeated this on local soil, at least I did!!!/ A similar mood prevailed at the pizza and ice cream lesson, in addition we received a diploma for masters of these Italian delicacies.

I once read somewhere that there's no point in accumulating things, it's more valuable to accumulate memories that take you to places, people, and events that have enriched your world and worldview, expanded your knowledge and experience, and contributed to your spiritual enrichment.

Looking at the photos, and for me, the description of these experiences, takes me back there, all the sights come to life before my eyes, it would not be an exaggeration to say that I can even smell the aromatic Italian coffee or taste the famous gelato.

As long as you have the opportunity - preserve your memories from your travels, both at home and abroad, believe me, they will contribute to your peace of mind in these times of uncertainty and worry, they will inspire you with hope for the coming of calmer days for people around the world. And I will continue to share about my travels.

I am wrapping up my past travels, described in an unusual approach that I hope I will not apply in the future /if I ever travel, but who knows???/ 

This time I will take you to Norway, one of my favorite destinations and Scandinavia in general, for several reasons. I like the climate in the summer - cool and fresh, unlike the heat in our latitudes, the cleanliness, the established order, the sparkling greenery and saturated colors of the flowers, the restraint and unobtrusive behavior of the locals. Not to mention the nature - the vast mountains, the abundance of water in all its forms /glaciers, waterfalls, rivers and lakes/, the strange birds /e.g. the jays and their habitats/, the care for nature, which is a commitment of everyone - people, municipalities, the state, this is evident at first glance. Not to mention the conditions for mass sports, even in the summer there is skiing (of course roller skating), rowing, swimming and other outdoor activities. I could go on for a long time describing the advantages of this territory and its inhabitants, but that is not what is important at the moment.

Applying the reverse method, I start from the last day of our trip, when Storm Hans hit. We received a message on our phones about the expected weather changes, but we were already on the ship and there was no way to avoid them, and this happens in the North Sea. I can't say if the wind and waves were really that strong, but compared to what happened to us the following year, it didn't happen again. Yes, there was excitement, a strong wind, closed doors on all the ship's exits, but we survived, Hans couldn't fight us.

I can't say if the wind and waves were really that strong, but compared to what happened to us the following year, it didn't happen again. Yes, there was excitement, a strong wind, closed doors on all the ship's exits, but we survived, Hans couldn't fight us. Leaving Copenhagen, we initially passed through Framensbrugge to stop in Oslo, the capital of Norway. An old, beautiful and modern city, with countless historical monuments, attractions, great architecture, not to mention the long coastal boulevard with its cafes, bars, galleries. I was very impressed by the casual everyday attire of the locals, who clearly aren't guided by modern trends and want to feel comfortable in their clothes. Another thing that surprised me was that cash payments are almost never accepted anywhere. - only with bank cards!!! It's probably a way to avoid the gray economy, if there is one at all?!?!? We hadn't booked any tour with the idea of feeling the atmosphere of the city ourselves. The culmination of our stay here was my grandson swimming in the waters of the arm of the sea, the temperature of which, I think, was no more than 14 degrees!!! But there were bathers, even teenagers?!?!? Apparently the cold doesn't scare them, and I was shivering from the experience and the fear of missing the ship's departure.

Our next stop was in Kristiansand, the southernmost city in Norway, once the summer residence of the Norwegian kings. It happened on Sunday, a beautiful summer day (around 20 degrees) and lots of sunshine, when the whole town was in the square for a church service, we even happened to join a local wedding. Lots of flowers, music, outdoor venues and fun attractions. Eidfjord and its steep slopes to the water amazed us, for the umpteenth time, with its majestic beauty. And again, and again lots and lots of water, greenery and tourists, despite the fact that unlike the previous day, today it was drizzling lightly. But that didn't bother us, we were prepared with raincoats and comfortable shoes.

The roar of Voringsfossen was audible from a distance, but as we got closer it became deafening. I can't describe the amount of water pouring down from the heights /about 50-60 meters I think/, water sprays were carried by the wind and refreshed us. It's a pity that there was no sun to enjoy the rainbow, but that's enough for us. I saw campers, regardless of the hotel, they clearly love this experience. Not to mention how fresh and bright the wild flowers were around, my eyes couldn't take their eyes off this richness.

Flam enchanted us with Skulestadmo, a beautiful waterfall, similar to the Seven sisters, on a smaller scale. And here a lot of water, greenery, several campsites and all kinds of motor vehicles, adults and children enjoyed nature, as did we, a wonderful natural park, deserving the care and attention of locals and tourists.

Like every beginning, this one also has its end /in reverse/, we set off towards our starting point - Copenhagen, and from there - towards home. For myself, I can say that I love to travel, to visit unknown countries, but I feel best at home, I guess many people feel the same. 

I am parting with you for now and I want to believe that soon I will have something to share about new destinations, lifestyles and customs, new emotions and excitements. And you be healthy, dream and make them come true!