Collecting Moments

I met Edurne and Raul in 2015 when they hosted me through couchsurfing in their cozy wee attic flat in Bilbao. It's from them that I learned about the magical place of Gaztelugatxe . Thanks to their advice, my time alone with the beauty of this marvelous spot remained a particularly memorable moment of the whole trip. Over the last eight years the threads of our travels intertwined in unpredictable and unexpected ways although we did not communicate much with Edurne and Raul after my journey to the Basque Country. Shortly before the pandemic, in December 2019, I arrived in Jerusalem. Edurne and Raul saw my Facebook check-in message and swiftly responded with their location which, as it turned out, I could almost see from my window. And there we were – eating falafel outside of the Damascus gate and discussing plans for their trip in Israel. Actually they had no definite plan and were open to my numerous travel suggestions. We ended up visiting my friend and watching the sunset o...

Подъем на Пагасарри Пагасарри ( Pagasarri ), или просто Пага, как ее ласково называют баски, видна из любой точки Бильбао. По традиции жители города начинают подъем на эту гору прямо с порога своего дома. Затемно в лабиринте пустынных сонных улиц уже слышны постукивания деревянных посохов по мостовой. Махила ( makila ) — баскская трость — верный компаньон путников. Мерно ступая короткими шагами, взбираются они на сотни метров через изумрудный лес к вершине. К гряде лазурно-голубых пиков над шумным котлованом Бильбао. Чтобы задержать дыхание, замереть, сопротивляясь сильному ветру, не зажмуривать глаза, а впитывать, впитывать красоту.

Distance 7 km (gpx) , Elevation gain 349 m, Elevation loss 367 m The queens of this hike were supposed to be abandoned capelas on the hill above the Convent of Our Lady of Arrábida. Those tiny round cupcakes nestled against a lush green slope. Little did we know when we started a 200 meter climb along a narrow steep trail that we’ll end up in front of a fence. Since many abandoned places bear a hint of mystery, those capelas keep their secrets behind a closed gate and a dense forest. So we swung towards the king — the Ocean. Alpertuche Beach turned out to be a gem hidden at the end of a shady eucalyptus alley. We sat there listening to the waves and watching the colors change from turquoise to deep blue. Just before sunset, when all the vacationers had left, an elegant elderly woman came along accompanied by an old dog. She sat quietly on a rock, and from her posture one could tell that she regularly visited this spot. I asked her if she was from the area. "Yes", the w...

If Denmark is about flat fields then Southern Sweden is definitely about lakes. Whether it's Vänern, the largest lake in the EU, or a tiny Södra Kypesjön in the town of Borås, there's always a body of freshwater somewhere near you! Surprisingly, they do not swim naked in Sweden (not even topless), it is much more conservative than Germany in this regard. That is despite Sweden topping the charts as one of the most secular and liberal countries in the world. Almost always we had to cover ourselves in those wet clothes called "bathing suits". Even on Södra Kypesjön where red-faced red-skinned ladies and gentlemen jumped naked from the sauna into the chilly water, I had to swim in those sticky rags. But other than that annoying nuisance, lake dipping in Sweden had been a wonderful experience throughout our whole journey. The water was usually warm enough to enjoy a long relaxing swim and the surrounding nature was enchanting. And, of course, we found a fair bit of se...

Here's the gist of our hitchhiking journey from Copenhagen to Uppsala in June 2023. In hitchhiking communities Sweden (along with other Scandinavian countries) is often described as a paradise for thumbing. We'd say it's a bit more difficult than Iceland but hey, at least the weather is nicer. You don't stand out there feeling miserable under a pissing rain and a freezing wind at seven degrees Celsius in July trying to hitch a ride out of Reykjavik airport. However, we must admit that this particular summer in Sweden was abnormally warm, dry, sunny and overall pleasant. There are also some things about Swedes that we learned from our couchsurfing hosts. This secret knowledge might come in handy if you are planning to hit the road in this country. Firstly, they need a lot of time to make a decision so you'd better be visible from afar. Secondly, they like watching American horror movies where every hitchhiker is a murderer. Just try to look innocent, that's all...

День в Копенгагене. Июнь 2023 Знойный июньский полдень в Копенгагене. Жители города высыпали на улицу и уютно расселись с шампанским и закусками вдоль каналов. Потягивая игристое, толпа веселилась, махала проплывающим мимо моторным лодкам и комментировала навыки неопытных рулевых-туристов. Звон бокалов сливался с громким смехом и радостными возгласами. Вдруг на противоположной стороне канала мы заметили голую женщину. Она сидела на деревянном настиле, окруженная модно одетыми людьми, и как будто не замечала своей наготы. У нее были азиатские черты лица и белоснежная кожа. Ее светлая фигура резко выделялась на фоне серых досок, будто выхваченная лучом софита. Женщина встала, быстро проскользнула мимо загорающих парней в шортах и прыгнула в воду. Нырнула, проплыла вдоль набережной, несколько раз акробатически перекувыркнулась под водой и зацепилась рукой за лесенку для купальщиков. Поныряла еще несколько минут вокруг нее, потом вылезла из воды и спокойно и уверенно прошагала обратно н...

Distance 16.1 km (gpx) , Elevation gain 411 m, Elevation loss 413 m This hike is dedicated to water, its primordial power and ultimate calmness. It's about the roaring sound of hidden waterfalls and the gentle whisper of streams meandering through valleys. Water usually returns to this land in late autumn after a summer drought. In winter riverbeds are full and deep, and currents are strong and fast. They draw their power from the snow-capped mountains of Serra da Estrela. As part of this journey we pass a tiny village of Mourela where an old woman greets us in the street. We always find her lingering at a sunny spot near the porch of her house. Her face is lined with deep wrinkles like the earth thirsty for rain. Her smile is soft and her eyes are shining. When the woman sees us marching with our hiking poles along a cobbled alley, she looks surprised. Very few people get to this place at all, not to mention foreigners. The other day there was a younger local lady there who r...