Goteborg was in the festival mood too and we stayed there one more day than planned. The greek element and appreciation of the greek culture (old and new) is obvious everywhere! The city's symbol is Poseidon, the God of the sea (coz the sea plays a big role for Goteborg). In one stage by the Opera house, they had two singers, one of them greek, singing traditional greek songs (in a modern version) and so on!

A funny story is that the church that is on the city's hill was the first building the ships could see from the far. So, the Goteborg-ians had put explosives underneath, so that in an emergency they could bring down the church and make the city "invisible" to the hostiles.

Πηγαινοντας προς Goteborg, μας δελεασε ο ζεστος σουηδικος ηλιος, και πηγαμε για ηλιοθεραπεια σε μια σουηδικη λιμνη!!!! Αααααχ, χαλαρωμα! 1-2 βαθμους κελσιου ακομα, και θα βουτουσαμε στη λιμνη...

Το Goteborg ηταν η πρωτη πολη που δεν συναντησαμε ελληνες τουριστες. Παρ ολα αυτα 1)ηταν γεματο ελληνικα εστιατορια 2) Εχουν ως σημα τον Ποσειδωνα (βλεπε φωτογραφια) 3) Το φεστιβαλ τους ειχε ελληνικο χρωμα.

Και το Goteborg ηταν σε περιοδο φεστιβαλ. Σε μια κουλτουριαρικη σκηνη, μας αρεσαν τα βιολια κτλ και κατσαμε. Ξαφνικα ακουμε ελληνικο τραγουδι!!!!! Η μια τραγουδιστρια ηταν μια Μαρια Στελλας και επαιζαν τσαμικα κ τσιφτετελια σε εκδοση κουλτουριαρικη με αφρικανικο "χρωμα". Οι αλλοι θελαν να κανουν ησυχια και εμεις να χορεψουμε χεχχεχεχ... Σε μια αλλη σκηνη, ακουγαμε τραγουδια (αγγλικα κ σουηδικα). Τσουπ, πετανε και μια Παπαριζου, Number 1!!!!!!

Εχουν μια εκκλησια στο λοφο, που ειχαν βαλει πυρομαχικα απο κατω της. Αν ερχοντουσαν εχθροι, θα την εριχναν, γιατι ηταν το κτιριο που φαινοταν απο μακρυα και ετσι θα εκρυβαν/προστατευαν την πολη τους! Η επισκεψη μας στο Goteborg τελειωσε παρακολουθοντας την παρελαση (κατι σαν μινι-καρναβαλια) που ηταν και το τελος του φεστιβαλ.

A little disagreement with Gustav Adolf on where to found the city. Εδω ο Μανος διαφωνει με τον Gustav Adolf για το πού θα χτιστει η πολη το 1614 >>

written by  ManosGeorgia on August 16, 2008 from Goteborg, Sweden
from the travel blog: Europe trip 2008
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Στο Malmo της Σουηδιας περασαμε απο τον εντυπωσιακο πυργο σχεδιασμενο απο τον Sandiago Calatrava. Ειναι για διαμερισματα και οι βλακες δεν φτιαξανε μια καφετερια, να πηγαινει ο κοσμος να τα ακουμπαει και να βλεπει τη θεα.

Must visits in Copenhagen are a drink / beverage by Nyhavn canal, the little mermaid (the city’s symbol since it was donated by Jacobsen, Carlsberg’s founder) and a café called La Glace (open since 1870) with the most freshest (sic) deserts in the world (this one is in the city centre, off Nytorv square).

We also had some great time in Carlberg’s visitor centre, with the highlights being the signed LIVERPOOL shirts, the collection of around 17000 unopened beer bottles and drinking some of the finest beers (Jacobsen, limited edition beers).

Little Mermaid:

Playing with the water:

Delicious cakes:

Calsberg, enjoying a pint of Limited Edition beer:

Φτασαμε στην Copenhagen στις 18/8. Και αυτη πολη ομορφη πολη. Εχει αρκετα καναλια που την ομορφαινουν. Ενα απο αυτα, το Nyhavn, εβαλε να το χτισουν οι φυλακισμενοι ενας παλιος βασιλιας και τωρα ειναι γεματο καφετεριες!

Καλα και η Δανια ειναι φωτια στις τιμες. Ως συναρτηση, αυτοι εδω πουλανε βενζινη 92 (!!!!) οκτανιων. Σε πολυ λιγα βενζιναδικα θα βρεις 98-99 οκτανια.

Περπατησαμε την πολη πανω-κατω αρκετες φορες (και φυσικα ξεπατωθηκαμε). Δυστυχως ενω περιμεναμε να βρισκουμε city bikes (παιρνεις τα ποδηλατα σαν τα trolleys των σουπερ-μαρκετς) αυτα ηταν αφαντα...

Εχουν ως συμβολο μια γοργονα, που την δωρισε ο Jacobsen (ιδρυτης της Carlberg). Πηγαμε και στο Carlsberg brewery, οπου μεταξυ αλλων ηπιαμε εκπληκτικες μπυρες (αντε να πας να παραγγειλεις αυτες τις Jacobsen τωρα στην Κυπρο... θα σε κοιτανε σαν εξωγηινο). Εκει εχουν συλλογη απο κλειστα μπουκαλια μπυρας. Αναμεσα στα 17000 μπουκαλια, ετυχε και βρικαμε και τις Mythos, KEO και ΑΛΦΑ!

written by  ManosGeorgia on August 19, 2008 from Copenhagen, Denmark
from the travel blog: Europe trip 2008
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Odense is the birth place of Hans Christian Andersen and you can tell from everything, even the pedestrian traffic lights show his figure!!! We walked around his first neighbourhood, perhaps where he used to play kids games on the streets! We were also impressed by the Danish designers, they have some great home stuff, you can decorate your house with great pieces, but of course we dont have the money to buy anything :))

Το Odense ειναι η γεννετηρα του Hans Christian Andersen. Μεχρι οι Γρηγορηδες/Σταματηδες στα φαναρια εχουν τη φιγουρα του με το μπαστουνακι! Συμμαζεμενη πολη, περιεργα γλυπτα τριγυρω, περασαμε απο το σπιτι της γιαγιας του που γεννηθηκε και απο το σπιτι που εζησε τα φτωχα παιδικα του χρονια, φαγαμε και μπανανιτσα εξω απο το σπιτι του χαχααχχαα πεινουσαμε.

written by  ManosGeorgia on August 21, 2008 from Odense, Denmark
from the travel blog: Europe trip 2008
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There is an annual sand sculpture "festival" with massive up to 4m high sculptures from sand, where we also enjoyed trying to build our own sculptures with little success... :)

There are cycle routes all over West Jutland, it is a relaxing area, we may have been the only tourists that could speak english (German is the language for this place, they where everywhere!!).

Μειναμε 2 βραδυα σε ενα καμπινγκ (οπου συνεννοουμασταν με νοηματα, επειδη δεν ξεραν αγγλικα!) διπλα στο Ringkobing fjord. Εχει μικρα χωριουδακια, ενα απο αυτα το Ribe ειναι το αρχαιοτερο χωριο Viking της Δανιας. Ηρεμια και γαληνη! Στους δρομους εβλεπες μονο αυτοκινητα με γερμανικες πινακιδες. Ειμασταν η εξαιρεση.

Πηγαμε σε ενα ετησιο "festival" με γλυπτα (4μ υψος) απο αμμο. Εντυπωσιακα κομματια. Ειχε και ενα μερος να δοκιμασουμε την τυχη μας να χτισουμε κατι, αλλα στεφηκε με εχμ αποτυχια.

From our visit to the (astonishingly for such a little village) large air museum by Ringkobing fjord - Georgia is playing with an old Scandinavian plane:

Hamburg is mostly a large industrial city like Oslo, however there are plenty of historical buildings around and the canals make it really cute. We had some delightful German beer in St Pauli (which is a small Amsterdam). Sorry lads, only very few english laggers are comparable!

The city centre is dominated by the impressive canals and the harbour. But the Hamburgers have something else to look forward to: The "Harbour City", which is due in the following years. A new city was being created, at the time of our visit they were carried out the infrastructure works (eg metro) and a few sky-scrapers. Really amazing project.

This is a small-ish city by the River Rhein. Romantic walks and views by Rhein was the highlight (there we saw the boat-hostel, moored on Rhein!), but Arnhem had a few more things to see and do. Plenty - but seriously plenty! - of parks, green areas, lakes and other waters were there to walk and we did our best! Everything in a compact package, it was easy to walk around!

(Επισης, κατα τη διαρκεια της επισκεψης μας συνειδητοποιησαμε οτι το "Αρνχεμ" ειναι η πολη που ποδοσφαιρικα τη φωναζουμε "Αρνεμ", δηλαδη η πρωην ομαδα του Μαχλα η "Βιτεσε Αρνεμ" ειναι εκει!)

written by  ManosGeorgia on August 26, 2008 from Arnhem, Netherlands
from the travel blog: Europe trip 2008
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They have a good network of canals, everything is looking so matching with the scenery, so medieval, we also had probably the best guide to visit every secret of the city on a map we were given at the hostel. For example we saw the scalp of the old traitor that opened the gates to the enemy, the upsite down canon stuck on a corner into the pavement, we had marvellous pancakes stuffed with good portion of cheese and ham... Found the best place (cheap!) to taste a bunch of Belgian beers etc

Belgian beers... nice... (stilll prefer the Danish Jacobsen I guess).

So many things, so astonishing views on the streets, also inside the city hall, the churches etc etc. To our surprise, we found that in Church in Brugges, they keep Jesus Christ's blood, that was stolen during the crusades. We paid a visit of course. They seem quite religious, well, maybe they USED to be very religious, they have Madonna's scultpures at the corner of almost all houses.

Oh and there is Michael Angelo's Madonna sculpture, which is really something for the Flammish city.

We also had a short trip on the boat. That was nice! Kind of romantic stuff, and great views of the city from the waters!!

And OF COURSE we visited the CHOCOLATE MUSEUM!!! In which after watching a demo of how they make the praline chocolates, we tasted them (and then we run out to find a chocolate shop to buy more... and more...)

We were extremely satisfied with our stay, we decided to stay longer and cut one day from our next stop (Brussels). Good choice. The photos below tell only a fraction of what we saw and experienced in Brugges....

We went straight for the central square, which is a very large relaxing square overlooking the prestigious city hall. Walking through the narrow steets, suddently we found ourselves among PACKED restaurants with outdoor tables. Well.... WE HADN'T SEEN SO MANY LOBSTERS GATHERED IN A SINGLE STREET!!! It seems EVERYONE was ordering (nicely looking!) LOBSTERS for dinner...

Oh yes, we continued tasting the Belgian beers... next to an open air music festival. We sat outside for free, but the music was loud and we enjoyed it (until the rain started!). Plus we enjoyed a splendid fireworks display! On another occasion, we found ourselves eating and drinking beer (belgian, of course) for free!!! I guess it was part of the festival.

Not to forget, that we started FEELING THE SUMMER, with temperatures of up to 28 or 29 degrees!!!!!

Of course we walked around the EU commission and parliament buildings.

We also visited the Atomium. Well, this is an.... atom. But 260 billion (!!!!!!!!) times magnified! Impressive?

Last (but not least) we visited the museum and the (undeveloped until today) fields of the Waterloo Battle. Historical Battle, it was quite something to know you are standing on the fields where one of greatest Battles took place...

A strange sculpture in honour of the steel industry of the past (by the way, Arcelor Mittal have their head quarters in Luxembourg):

We had the opportunity for some walking around the nature, as the city is built on hills and the forest is next door! Marvellous views from the top of the one hill to the other! And great weather for walking (at least the first of the two).

Here is a statue of the popular Duke of Luxembourg from the past:

We visited the popular casemates, which were part of the defensive system. Nowadays, there are remains of the old wall, giving us great views from around the city. The casemates were underground hiding places - big rooms and corridors within the rock!

In Luxembourg they already have three official languages (luxembourgish, french and german), but they all know english too ;)) (contrary to Spain, to be commented later). All in all a nice visit in a small city, with green areas, plenty of walking paths and spectacular views from all the high points!!!!

written by  ManosGeorgia on September 2, 2008 from Luxembourg, Luxembourg
from the travel blog: Europe trip 2008
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