Rubens Is Around

Few Stats:

- 43 days (and nıghts) of travel (ıncludıng 37 under the sun)
- more than 3000km crossed
- 50€ spent for travel cost (I shared the gaz from Munıch to Ozora)
- 900€ spent ın total
- 500€ earned on the way
- 1 nıght ın a gaz statıon
- About 50 dıfferent rıdes
- No accıdents, robbery etc.... (Europe ıs a safe place)

Thanks:

* Thank you Couchsurfers for the great time, you wıll always be welcome ın Israel (at the aırport say to the security guy that you have famıly ın Israel. You wıll not fınısh naked ın front of polıcemans ın thıs way) : Mırjam (Zurıch), Melanıe (Munıch), Ивa (Sofıa), Marıa (Thessalonıkı), Ayşegül and Simge (Istanbul).

* Thank you drivers who decide to take me and share a bıt of road wıth me: James, Agnes, Sımon, Rudi, Moshko, etc... sorry for the many names I forgot.

* Thank you my IDC Frıends for havıng made me visit your beautıful cıtıes: Marc (Munıch), András (Budapest) , Melıh (Istanbul).

* Thank you Globalızatıon (McDonald & Co) for the free WC, the most usefull (and only?) thıng it brıngs.

* Thank you Gaz statıons for the great spots to hıtchıke and the night I spent in France.

* Thank you European Union, specıally for the Schengen Area: more I was crossıng countrıes and more I found the ıdea of a Passport stupıd. We are fınally born on the same planet so free to, at least, vısıt every corner of ıt.

* Specıal Thanks to the DutchAcıdFamıly and Moshko

No boat (Turkey > Cyprus > Israel) but a plane tıcket from the Jewısh agency. I feel a bıt sad about ıt but time (even if it's an illusion) and money wıll lack.

I spent 10 days ın the great Istanbul and the 5th largest cıty of the world ıs a place everyone should vısıt. Everywhere you look there ıs actıvıty, colors, sellers. It's lıke a gıant Orıent cırcus where you really feel the transition between the Occident and the Orıent.

I wıll be tomorow ın Israel, wıth another vision of the world and this is the most ımportant.

Next step: Israel to Indıa :~)

First of all, I don't think that I came to Samothraki by accident, it was one of the place I had to visit to understand many things. I don't know if we can call this Providence.

This Island has something mystical, I can tell it by the 3 days I spent there (including a Full Moon). I also believe that one of the clue of our civilization resides there.

In any cases, it`s a place where I will come back later on for sure.

No need to elaborate here. I linked you some reading if you want to learn more about it:
Wikipedia Article of Samothrace - English
Voltaire essay on the Island - French
Temple Complex - French
Temple Complex - English


Tomorow = Istanbul :) (keep smiling please)

All the Albums so far + 2 videos (Serbian Psytrance party ;) Enjoy

Greece

Bulgaria

Serbia

Hungary

Austria

Germany

Switzerland

France

Always by hitchhike (no cheat), I finally passed thought Serbia and Bulgaria. I arrived at Thessaloniki yesterday (in 5 hours, I'm pretty proud of me :P)

This is what I got from the first Serbian I met at the Hungarian border, a businessman working in a famous telecommunication company. I knew hitchiking was free but I could not suspect that you could also earn money.

Belgrade is unique, the nightlife is very active and avant-gardiste. The first night was great, we drinked some beers with Serbians we met on the way and went afterward to an amazing "pub-disco-boat" on the Danube situated in the middle of (shitty) fashion/trendy/superficial clubs. You can be sure to dance from 10pm to 8am on every kind of music.

The Serbian are so nice, open-minded and curious about strangers. However, It`s dificult for them to travel, even in Europe. I really wish the country will enter in the Schengen area soon. But in another hand, it`s maybe the price to pay to avoid tourism business and keep a spirit of the place

It's the first time I sleep in a hostel and I hate it, I try to go back to couchsurfing tonight or tomorow..... will see.

I also got the first beer donation! Thanks to Noam, I will get very drunk tonight (10Euros of beers in Belgrade = 8/10 pints :-p).

Photos uploaded, I didn't took the most interesting/exiting stuff but I will try to improve myself for the next time. Click Here :)

Whatever, here are some videos from the trip so far: