May 14, 2009, Apple Island, to Paluse, to Aukstaitija NP Lithuania. The national park is a very remote area in the northeast section of Lithuania. Paluse was our first stop at the info-center and a young “ranger” sold us a map and gave some direction for camping and hiking. Paluse has a wooden church and bell tower built in 1750. St. Joseph’s Church and bell tower were built and the only tool used was an axe. The cold air registered 40, but the wind off the lake made it feel a lot colder. Off we went to Ginucial?? We attempted to [View Full Entry]

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Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe. ~Anatole France May 11, 2009, Monday, Trakai to Vilnius, Lithuania, “A Problem Day… Somedays are just not easy”, or “The Day Kel almost lost it”. As the rain came down, we parked and rushed to the bus, but we didn’t have the correct amount. (Why would the price change from yesterday?) Maureen rummaged through her purse and paid the additional amount, we took a seat. Ten minutes later, Maureen can’t find her wallet? PANIC sets-i [View Full Entry]

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When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money. ~Susan Heller May 9, 2009, Saturday, The Lakeside Restaurant to Traki, Lithuania . It turned out to be a noisy night, everyone stops for the lake-view, but the price was right. We stopped the town of Trakai, a town located in Lithuania’s Lake District, and is the ancient capital. Trakai’s trophy is the fairytale Island Castle, which we toured, it is the only island fortress in Europe. After getting Litas, the currency [View Full Entry]

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It is not down in any map; true places never are. ~Herman Melville May 7, 2009, Thursday, Bialowieza NP to Gizycko, Poland’s Lake District, P.T.H. Camping “Borowo”. Another long driving day and I promise not to comment on the roads. The Masurian Lake Region has more than 2,000 lakes, which are the remnants of long vanished glaciers and surrounded by green hilly landscape. This is a lovely campground and our spot is right on the lake, calm and scenic. The campground is on Lake Niegocin in the town of Gizycko, the largest lakeside center in the region. [View Full Entry]

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What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do - especially in other people's minds. When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road. ~William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways May 5,2009, Tuesday, Warsaw to Bialowieza NP--- The Mercedes Benz Dealer is our first stop to get an oil change and new oil filter, and since we didn’t have an appointment it took a while. The drive from Warsaw at noon to Bialowieza NP 5:30 PM was a long SLOW [View Full Entry]

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So true : “Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things - air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky - all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” - Cesare Pavese We are in Riga Latvia . we are at a great campground with WIFI so we will get caught up May 3, 2009, Sunday and we are off by tram to Warsaw Centrum, the capital of Poland and [View Full Entry]

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Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. ~Seneca April 30, 2009, Thursday, Krakow, Old Town. Today we begin our fourth week of travel…Europe Part II. We are of to the old town of Krakow. The bus at the bottom of the hill takes us to a transfer for the tram and into the old city. The currency in Poland is the Zloty…approximately 3 zlotys to 1 US$. Since Poland is a member of the EU, we assumed (wrongly) that Poland used the Euro. Even in major cities people don’t want Euros, just Zlotys. We just got [View Full Entry]

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The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes "sight-seeing." ~Daniel J. Boorstin April 27, 2009, Monday, Prague to National Park Krkonose. Enough with big cities for a while, we are off to the mountains! The National Park Krkonose (Great Mountain) is our destination. It is the highest mountain range in the republic and is close to the border of Poland. Harrachov Campground is located in a popular ski area in winter and hiking ar [View Full Entry]

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I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. ~Robert Louis Stevenson April 21. This is an organizing day- clean vehicle, shop, dump, collect fresh water and begin a long drive to the Czech Republic. We are now in Cesky Krumlov (CK) and “what might you ask is CK?” as I did. It is Unesco World Heritage Site. The town’s original Gothic fortress was rebuilt as an imposing Renaissance Chateau in the late 16th century. Since the 18th century the town was restored. Everyone here is also trying to [View Full Entry]

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I think that travel comes from some deep urge to see the world, like the urge that brings up a worm in an Irish bog to see the moon when it is full. ~Lord Dunsany April 18 Vienna. Off we go to Vienna, first a walk to the bus, then onto the metro and into Vienna. St Stephen’s is our first stop, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. We first noticed the windows---rather dull with a hint of pastel color. The original stained glass windows were bombed during WWII. The church is very ornate with lots of gold everywhere. Vienna is [View Full Entry]

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