Exploring Nijmegen - De Stratemakerstoren PART 1.

Oh My gosh ! De Stratemakerstoren and Velorama were totally checked by Anna and me today.
First was DE STRATEMAKERSTOREN. It was really big bastion in the past, securing the gateway to the city (like a defensive tower). In the course of time it was damaged, so that what survived till this day is just the little remain. It was built in 16th century, made of stone and brick. In the end of 18th century it lost its importance. From the end of 18century the houses and many buildings were built next to bastion.

It is not big inside, but very interesting, also thanks to the wax figures which they put inside. They are pretty scary !

Let's go:

That's the model of the bastion

The corridor with a lot of loopholes and shooting holes for riffels and cannons. Walls are in some points even 3, 5 m thick.

FOr a few minutes we could feel as if we would travel in time. Everything was really scary, even the dog was so freaky and fuzzy :D

This guy and his friend were tryin to shoot someone ! Well dug by people in 18th century. The water is still there.
There was also small store-room, with lots of wines and food. Unfortunately for me - fake one.

One thing made to commemorate the plague of pest (the black death)...
Doctor and two victims of the plague, accompanied by rats.... :( Doctor wearing special mask, to avoid infection from ill people.

His eye was so violet, his feet were covered with some pieces of material, and his skin was really yellow.

They guy laying on the bed looked terrifying - he had open wound on his leg and was also yellow. This part of bastion made us feel like we would be really in 1666. We decided not to spend there too much time, just in case... ;)

As the guidebook says - the mystery of the name of the museum is still unsolved. Literally it means "Road Workers Tower"....

the song

(genre: Blending sweet, crooning vocals, and indie synth-pop electronic beats)

The Postal Service - "Do You realize"

Do you realize,

That you have the most beautiful face

Do you realize,

We're floating in space

Do you realize,

That happiness makes you cry

Do you realize,

That everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes

Let them know you realize that life goes fast

It's hard to make the good things last

You realize the sun doesn't go down

Its just an illusion caused by the world spinnin' round

Do you realize, Ohhhh Ohhhh - Woaaahhh

Do you realize,

That everyone you know someday will die

And instead of saying all of your goodbyes

Let them know you realize that life goes fast

It's hard to make the good things last

You realize the sun doesn't go down

Its just an illusion caused by the world spinnin' round

Do you realize,

Do you realize,

That you have the most beautiful face

Do you realize

LONDON - the most expensive days of my life ;]

Oh yeah, finally I visited one of the biggest global cities, capital of global finances, banks, heaven for marketing, place where the whole world is mingled into one blender. What an experience! I went there with Mariona and Nicole. We stayed at the Central London Hostel, in the Bayswater, just nearby the Notting Hill.

The city is so infinite, the tube net seems to be as thick as spider's net. So much of everything. So much in motion. All the time. People passing You by without having a glance at You. Everybody in rush, peculiar rats race!

Eindhoven Airport - before check in.

Getting to London Stansted.

We arrived on thursday. Although the very flight takes only 40 minutes, the journey took us about 9 hours. We arrived to the hostel about 11 pm.

First meal in London - Mc Shit on the kerbstone.

The hostel turned out to be very nice place, people there were from all around the world (the biggest group were Aussies!). There was really nice atmosphere, and as the graffiti says: "The World is Your stage".

Below some photos of the graffitis (all walls were covered with them) and our room.

We had a 6 bed dormitory, with bunk beds - I slept on the top bed, it was sometimes hard to get there.

Friday: We had a small sightseeing tour, we saw Big Ben (yeah, it's huge indeed)Parliament of the United Kingdom in Westminster, London Eye, National gallery with Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace

In the evening we went to the bar nearby, called Prince Edward. We had real fun over there - there was karaoke night. Believe or not - we sang three songs. No scrubs, I'll be missing you and She loves you. People loved us ! :D

Saturday: we went to the British Museum. It was great, the biggest library I've ever seen. And great exhibition of Africa and Ancient Greece and Rome.

The Tree of Life from Mozambique

The clothing made of bottle-neck wrappings

Sarcophagus

the library

Inside

In the evening we went to the club in the Picadilly Circus on the Regent Street, called "Cheers". Was very nice, great music, quite cheap... a little bit pushy and fresh guys.. but that wasn't a problem, we easily ignored them. It was nice night, although we had very sad experience - Nicole's jacket with some belongings was stolen and it took away the mood of partying..

Sunday: Mariona and Me went to Cheers to seek for jacket, against our hope and expectations it wasn't found. I hope the bastard who stole it will choke with milk soon! :

We used the opportunity and visited Soho which is nearby. Very nice hood full of expensive shops.

Monday: We visited St Paul's Church, Tate Modern Gallery (and crossed Millenium Bridge leading to the Gallery). It's a pity we couldn't take the photos over there, cause it was very impressive. We spend about 2-3 hours there.

Afterwards we went to see Tower of London and London Bridge. We didn't pay for the entrances, cause it was qutie expensive everywhere. I'll leave more precise sightseeing for later :) The Tower Bridge was great and the view from it was astonishing !

Tuesday: We were traveling again for 9 hours. It's rediculous that the fligh takes so short time and everything else last for hours! A little bit irritating. We're back to Lent finally.

Say "HI" to New Year with the lucky 7!

Party for V.I.P. (Very Isolated People)

ALthough it wasn't many of us - the party was very good !

I brought polish vodka Zubrowka.

We enojyed it, I must say :)

Best served with ice and apple juice :)

Wine or drink?

(because of the forbidden elements we couldn't show the original photo:) )

Alessandro prepared the fastest pasta I've ever seen - in twenty minutes he was ready with everything! Good Job Italian! :)

Combined Catalan & Greek forces :)

Deutschlaenders rulez !

drink my child, drink, it's healthy

:)

2007

Happy New Year.

May it bring lots of happiness.

For everyone.

Christmas in Poland

Like most of the exchange students I spent my christmas holidays at home - I went to Poland on the 23rd of December. Jpurney was realy terrible though - I was going by the coach, really tight and crowded (there were 3 babies around me, I thought I will just run crazy !). And the worst - the final destination wasn't my city - it was Silesia. The worst region of Poland - actually I felt like I arrived to Kazachstan or something... Thank God my father picked me up from this hell on earth and we went to my city.

I forgot not to eat anything for the whole week before christmas, because I was eating so much (as always) that put on weight good few kilos... ;) My granny prepared delicious typical polish food (this year without carp - actually I've never eaten that, we just passed it up this year.

I decorated the christmas tree and I love it ! Reminds me the childhood..

Reversely - I hate to take off all the glass-balls.. but that will be my father's thing (I won't be there).

This Christmas was more like Easter - no snow. WIthout snow it's not the same.

I hate the global warming. Should do something with that...

After Christmas I met with my best best friends - Dorothy (on the left) and Anna; Monika (on the left, licking her fingers after eating spanish meat ! :)) and Alexandra. I know these girls for many years and would never replace them with no othe people!

Also after Christmas Dorothy cut my hair - as always. I hate hairdressers. Dorothy always cut it jsut exactly how I want (although this time the result was a little experiment, but of my fault)

I also met with a goodfella - Martin. We enjoyed the menu in the texas style bar - really funny and original names of dishes. I think this guy is the only real person from the Lodz Uni I still keep in touch with. Peace man!

New Year's Eve? Party? I said no. I hate this day. My attitude? Fuck the NYE !