Archives: November 2006
In Which I Mention Marc Almond's Tattoo
November 30, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Flensburg Route: Eckernforde - Barkelsby - Kappeln - Gundelsby - Dollerup - Glucksburg - Flensburg Don't look at that list of towns en route and imagine this was a long day in the saddle. It only took an hour to get to Flensburg - by the scenic route. But I...
In Which East Meets West
November 29, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Eckernforde Route: Ahrenshoop - Warnemünde - Wismar - Lübeck - Travemünde - Oldenburg - Kiel - Eckernforde OK, OK so I cheated you of yesterday's details. You know, when I sneakily got away without telling you why it was such fun. In short: how often have you spent most of...
In Which I Repeat Myself Repeat Myself
November 28, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Ahrenshoop Route: Stralsund - Putbus - Binz - Sassnitz - Stralsund - Barth - Ahrenshoop It had to happen. After more than four months, I repeat myself: "Why am I doing this trip? Pretty much, I'd say, for days like this." I refer you to my entry of 26th August....
In Which I Hand Over The Reins
November 26, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Berlin The bike was being serviced over the weekend so I snuck off by train to Berlin, to see an old friend. Who has generously agreed to tell you what happened... Er, hello. Mike’s not here at the moment. He’s been taking a week-end off to do things which do...
In Which, Gentle Reader, I See A Waxdick
November 24, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Stralsund Got my contact lenses. Wandered round old Hanseatic Stralsund: lots has been rebuilt and/ or renovated. The old market places are full of stalls: a proper German Weihnachtsmarkt, Remy and Helen, just like the one you won't be going to this Christmas. And no, I didn't feel a shred...
In Which I Go Out Of My Way
November 22, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Stralsund, Germany Route: Swinoujscie - Szczecin - Pasewalk - Stralsund Oh to have had access to the Internet and read Alexander from Leeds' comment before I set off. (Hello Sandy - what a pleasure to hear from you. I look forward to seeing you out on the road when the...
In Which My Tongue Get Twisted
November 21, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Swinoujscie Route: Kolobrzeg - Trzebiatow - Dziwnowek - Miedzyzdroje - Swinoujscie I wake to a dawn chorus - thousands of birds gathering in the park across the street. Is this a murmuration? And if so, couldn't they murmur rather than shout? They make enough noise to raise the dead, but...
In Which I Get All Deflated
November 20, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Kolobrzeg Route: Chalupy - Karwia - Wejherowo - Slupsk - Koszalin - Kolobrzeg (with a bit of help) I haven't met many Poles so far. Not to talk to. Not in the way I met Latvians and Finns and Norwegians and all the others. That was all about to change....
In Which I Go To Hel And Back
November 19, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Chalupy Route: Gdansk - Sopot - Gdynia - Reda - Puck - Wladyslawowo - Chalupy - Hel - Chalupy I have a Polish spy. Everyone should. They're highly recommended. (Don't worry Linda, I won't reveal yr identity.. especially as you sent yr detailed email during office hours, and Steve probably...
In Which History Is Made, Made And Made Again
November 18, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Gdansk On Friday morning I wave goodbye to the creature comforts of the Novitel and relocate to the B&B I've found on the internet. Or rather, one of the three or four B&Bs grouped on one small road, Ulica Beethovona, a short ride west of the Old Town. The first...
Update on Friday 17 November
November 17, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Gdansk Greetings from Poland. And Gdansk which, when I get back up-to-date with the blo-- I mean diary, I'll be describing as one of the most attractive cities I've ever visited. This is based on 1. arriving late, seeing the Old Town and staying way over my budget in a...
In Which A Grim & Distant Frontier Is Breached
November 16, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Gdansk, Poland Route: Kaliningrad - Mamonowo - Gronowo - Elblag - some obscure back roads - Gdansk -- This is a long one: sorry. -- What I haven't found space to say about Kaliningrad could fill a book [Charlie - it's all yours] but might include: 1. It's home to...
In Which We See Kaliningrad Through Five (Or Is It Four?) Sets Of Eyes
November 15, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Kalingrad Gayane was born in Kazachstan to Armenian parents. (On the whole, I decided it was prudent not to ask her what she thinks of Borat.) I stopped to ask directions (in English) from a shop with the Marks & Spencer and Tesco logos painted on the front door. They...
In Which I Enter A Strange & Mysterious Place
November 13, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Kaliningrad, Roosia Route: Nida - Zelenogradsk - Kaliningrad Well, fancy that. Mike With from Norwich, writing a blo-- I mean diary, and starting it by recording where I am -- *Kaliningrad*. I really have come a long way. I know there are lots of places in the world that are...
In Which I Am Beaten To It By Some Adventurous Armenians
November 12, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Nida Route: Klaipeda - Nida. Not far, really. The ferry from Klaipeda to the tip of the Curonian Spit takes about three minutes, but only because they go so slowly. Sheltering the city from the wilder efforts of the Baltic, the Spit gives the city the perfect port location. But...
In Which I Am Recognised (For Real, This Time)
November 11, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Klaipeda, Lithuania Route: Liepaja - Klaipeda Look again at the map. Yes, now. Before you read another word! I'm in Klaipeda, known for half a millennium as Memel - until 1945, in fact. A German city. Or, to be more specific, a Teutonic, then a Prussian, then a German city....
In Which I Am Recognised
November 10, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Liepaja Juuris stopped in his tracks when he saw me. He was swaying, ever so slightly, on his well-shod feet; a scarf tossed with dandy distain around his neck; hair over his collar. It was three in the afternoon. An old roue, perhaps? No, an old rock'n'roller. "We doan nee...
In Which To The Most Dreary Place Of Latvia Is My Visit
November 9, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Liepaja Route: Riga - Saldus - Most Dreary Place In Country - Liepaja When in the morning the awakening I did it was sunshine to see in from the windows in of my bedroom. This is to me a big surprise of the prime order to follow the forecast of...
In Which I Don't Meet Myself
November 8, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Riga I don't mention him lightly, and I am not not NOT presuming to compare myself to him, but the only thing I can remember about Alan Whicker is his secret to being a good travel reporter. (He was on ITV. We didn't watch much ITV in our house. It...
Update on Monday 6 November
November 6, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Riga Hello again Another quick note, rather than the regular diary updates I'm trying to keep going when I can. I'm in Riga - yes __that __Riga, capital of Latvia and therefore some way south of where I last wrote from in Narva. Since when I've stayed in Tallinn (beautiful,...
In Which I Wish I Wasn't Quite So Obviously English
November 6, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Riga More on Riga, and Latvia. That's what I promised last night. Hmmmmm. [Ma, you may prefer to just see the pictures today!] I went into the city centre yesterday, to a *pub* called the Dickens, so what follows is nothing more nor less than self-inflicted. I walked into the...
In Which I Have To Make A Decision
November 5, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Riga Route: Saulkrasti - Riga It was already bright and sunny when I woke up and, being 100 metres from the sea, I strolled over the main road and picked my way through the pine forest to the beach. Then I realised that a) I hadn't had any coffee yet...
In Which I Am Once More Saved By A Stranger
November 4, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Saulkrasti, Latvia Route: Pärnu - Ikla - Ainazi - Salacgriva - Saulkrasti Yesterday I was touched by Rein and Jaak in Tallinn. Today I have to thank Jaanus in Pärnu. Having reached this city and lodged at the Strand, I then read that there was a guesthouse specialising in bikes...
In Which I Get Lucky
November 3, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Pärnu Route: Tallinn - Pärnu A sunny morning. The exact opposite of what all the weather forecasts are saying - CNN, BBC World, Estonian TV, about fifteen different websites. I've been having a debate with myself about the trip. Should I stay or should I go? Do I stop here...
In Which I Take A Ride Through The Norfolk Countryside
November 2, 2006 by Mike in Diary
Tallinn Route (on Wednesday): Narva - Kohtla-Järve - Rakvere - Tallinn I missed one of the big events of the year in Narva by about a week. The papers are still full of it - at least, the papers that only come out once a week are. 36 new Mercedes...