Vilnius

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to visit at least three European capitals. I am happy to say that I have achieved my goal in less than five months. That makes me feel more motivated and I strongly believe that I can reach also other aims. :)

 

So, it's time to write something about the third capital I visited. This trip was unplanned. It means that I had no intention to visit Lithuania (at least in the near future).. I think that sometimes it is good to travel with absolutely no plans and to make spontaneous decisions (which doesn't mean that this rule refers to all areas of life). One thing travelling always reminds me is how many places the world has to explore. It's also a great way to learn something about other cultures, people but especially about ourselves. For me, traveling isn't conected only with watching charming views, visiting places of historic interest, eating local dishes. Sometimes it gives an opportunity to experience something totally different.

Although I spent only one day in Vilnius, I vistied the most popular places, I met some interesting people and I have some funny stories to tell.  However, I would like to concentrate on historical monuments. 

Below I want to present some photos with a short description, enjoy!

 

  The Gate of Dawn - one of the most important religious, historical and cultural monuments.

 

The Gediminas' Tower on the left (the remaining part of the Upper Castle) and the new city center of Vilnius.

 

One of the streets in the Old Town of Vilnius and a place related to Polish culture.

The Rain Queen

I read this book for the first time a few years ago. There is no doubt that it's one of the books that has left a big impression on me. I was really captivated by this story. I think that it's worth pointing out that the book is based on real experiences.

The author of the book titled The Rain Queen is an Australian writer - Katherine Scholes. She was born in Tanzania (Africa) where her parents were missionaries. She spent most of her childhood there. Then she left Africa and she moved first to England and then to Tasmania. All of her books have been translated into numerous languages. However, it seems to me that these books aren't popular in Poland.

Generally speaking the plot focuses on two women. Both of them are connected in some way with Africa. Kate's parents, missionaries, were murdered during their stay in Tanzania. Kate was just a small child when it happened. This event has changed all her life. She wants to forget about all the painful memories and she starts a new life.

But one day a mysterious woman Annah moves in next door. She has a secret and wants to tell her version of the story associated with Kate's childhood.

I particulary like the way the author describes Africa. It's no longer a distant place on a map. The reader has the opportunity to discover many interesting things and details about this continent. You can experience a lot of emotions while reading this book and feel like you're there.

Benvenuti al Sud

Benvenuti al Sud or in English Welcome to the South is another Italian movie which I'd like to recommend you. It's one of the movies to watch on a rainy day or evening. It's a remake of a French movie Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis.

The manager of Poste Italiane (postal service), who works near Milan, so in the northern part of Italy, is forced to change his workplace. He moves to a town near Naples in southern Italy. 
At the beginning, he associates this place with garbage in the streets, mafia and in general - disorder.
This comedy refers to different stereotypes which are present in Italian society. We can notice many prejudices. 

The reality is quite different. Alberto, it's the name of the main caracter, appreciates all the pleasant places and the habits of local people. He notes also a low crime rate and the hospitality of his workmates.

His wife and his child still live in the north of Italy. His wife believes in stereotypes and Alberto hides the truth. One day, she decides to visit him....

At the end, it is difficult to Alberto to return home, because it's turns out that his stay in the South was an unforgettable experience.

I would like to conclude this blog post with a quote from this movie, which sums up the whole story:

 “When a stranger comes to the South he cries twice: when he arrives and when he leaves.”

The Cosmopolis Fountain

Toruń is one of my favorite Polish cities. I suppose that the most famous place is the Old Town.
Therefore, I'd like to mention another special tourist attraction -The  Cosmopolis Fountain.
During the summer season, in the evening hours (if I remember correctly - after 9 p.m) you can admire some performances of water, light and sound. It's truly remarkable experience.

The fountain is situated near the Old Town, I would say that it's a part of them. It's modeled on Copernican heliocentric system and it consists of 113 water nozzles.The central nozzle symbolise the Sun and other nozzles refer to Saturn, Earth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.

The light and sound show is accompanied by music records. One of them, entitled Cosmopolis, was composed by Krzesimir Dębski. This record is my favorite one. You can also listen to film music.

The water is illuminated by colourful light. Of course, the water movements are harmonized with the music.

Unfortunately, photos and videos don't reflect the real atmosphere of this place. 

 

Bari

Summer is coming soon! I really feel it. :) It's warmer and warmer every day. It makes me think about all the places with perfect weather I've ever been.

One of them is Bari in Southern Italy.

This port city is the capital of the region of Apulia. It's situated on the Adriatic coast. What's more, it's well-known as the city of Saint Nicholas (also known as Santa Claus). Most of his relics are kept today in the Basilica of Saint Nicholas.

Bari has a beautiful and charming Old Town. There are a lot of winding streets and sometimes it turns out that it's a dead end street. For this reason it's easy to get lost there. In that place you can see the everyday live of local people. Almost all the doors are open, women make pasta in the doorways and you hear the dialect. 

Bari is a city with a promenade on the sea, which is really worth seeing. It is a great place for a long walk. You can admire some wonderful views and visit the beach.

I mentioned just a few places, but the good information is that the most interesting parts of Bari can be visited on foot. It takes only a day to see the most important places. The city is well-placed for exploring the southern part of Italy. 

The airport (Bari Palese) is located near the town, so it's so easy to get there.