#whatforweekend

The heating worked like a poetry through our stay. We did not freeze, we only once got almost blown away from the road and experienced way more that we could have experienced during the warmer periods. Just to be sure, we will come back to Iceland in summer.

TIPS FOR WINTER VAN ADVENTURE IN ICELAND

1. Choose your camper wisely. And by this I mean pay attention to the heating system. Some companies specialise in the winter rent and you will get a car that will keep you warm by 8h straight at night. Our did even longer, but our neighbours at some point were not so lucky. Their heating died after 4h and they kept turning on the engine each hour. From what they said - it was a nightmare night. We got our camper from Camp easy - not an ad at all, we paid it all.

2. Take layers of clothing. You may end up with a beautiful sun like we did, so you want to walk around in a T-shirt, but when it’s cloudy or rainy, it gets super cold. I also suggest a very warm jacket that is good for wind and rain as well and good gloves. Aurora lights are amazing, but when you feel how your fingers are freezing, you stop being enthusiastic. In this situation you need to spend quite some time outside, unless you have a cooperative partner, who calls you when the lights appear (thank you Tomasz).

3. Take a forehead light - discovery of a genius. It is super helpful when you run toilet at night and not only.

4. Remember about having coins with you if you like to take a hot shower. For all the rest you can pay with a card. This one only coins.

5. Do not worry about places where you can camp. There is a list of campsites and spots available in winter. These are not expensive and are your only choice, as wild camping is illegal. I guess it’s because it is not safe. The weather changes a lot in Iceland and you can end up being blown away from the place you stopped for a night together with your car. In case of a strong wind, your car can get seriously damaged by stones or ice pushed by the wind. A few times the wind was so strong that it was impossible for us to open the door or to walk against it. A few times, if it wasn’t for a heavy vehicle and 4wd, we would be pushed away from the road. Here is a list of winter campsites. Do not worry that it will take all the fun away. These stops are located, for example 10 meters from a giant waterfall, so you can hear it while you fell asleep and see it first thing when you open your eyes in the morning.

6. Check the weather on every day basis (here is a website where you can do it). You will most probably get a GPS with wifi and all the info you can check on the road. But if not, check it online. In winter some roads may be closed (happened a lot) or there may be a very strong wind. It will be way better to wait or even turn back. Checking on the weather may save you many troubles like destroying your car, so definitely remember to do it.

7. Choose camper with 4wd. Winter in Iceland is magical and may be difficult. This is why it helps a lot. We managed to go places unavailable with a regular car. Also when the wind is strong, it helps a lot. The price does not vary that much and many companies offer 4wd. I guess maybe even most.

8. When you pick up your van, check out if they have a shelf, where previous travellers left some products. Most of the companies have it. You can grab salt, pepper, tea, coffee, sometimes gas, oil, flour and so on. It saves a lot of money and time spend in a store. Remember to leave some of your unused goods as well on return of your vehicle.

9. Remember that you will visit Iceland once, maybe twice in your lifetime, so take advantage of this trip. Try local cuisine, more in a moment.

10. You can take an additional quilt for your camper and I suggest to use this privilege. It helped a lot.

11. Talk with other travellers. They can share some special tips with you, like this tine hidden hot spring or the place where they saw aurora lights the previous night.

12. Be ready to change your plans. In Poland we have this saying that only cows do not change their mind. Sometimes a road will be closed, sometimes the wind will be too strong. It happens, but it’s not the end of the world if you wait a day.

13. Stop to talk to the Icelandic horses and maybe pet them a bit. These creatures come from the Viking times and are amazing.

14. Take a bath in hot springs as often as possible. You don’t need to go to The Blue Lagoon, as it’s very pricy (unless you are sure that you need this one particular picture). There are other, local pools, with beautiful surroundings and way less people inside.

WHAT TO EAT IN ICELAND

Iceland has a lot to offer and food is delicious as well. We’ve tried quite a few restaurants and it was all delicious. I did not try a whale or fermented shark, I did not go for a lamb head or puffin either, but I did have a bite of other delicateses, like:

- Geyser bread - you have to try it. It’s baked for a long time next to a geyser and is delicious.

- Skyr - thick yogurt served with a bit of milk and sugar.

Porridge, which is the most popular breakfast. Especially during the cold period, it will give you the energy you need.

- Salmon!

WHAT TO SEE:

We saw some beautiful things in Iceland and some of them we did not, as we were travelling with Mia and she was simply not interested or it was too cold and too far away. We will do it the next time, when she’s older than 4.

Geysir - very touristy and super incredible. Totally a must (like everything in Iceland). You stand next to a geyser which explodes quite often. It blows water and hot air and it looks incredible. Kids love it, adults scream out of excitement.

Gullfoss - one of the biggest waterfalls I saw, I must say it was very impressive and stunningly beautiful. I guess each person who visits Iceland goes there, but it’s only because there is a serious reason - beauty x 100000000.

Secret Lagoon Hot Spring - our first hot springs. It was sooo good to walk into this hot water after a day of walking in cold. It is a lovely place, but even this did not make it easier to walk 4 meters from a changing room to the water only in a swimming suit through a total cold. Yet, worth it.

Skogafoss - we stopped there for a night and we saw the most beautiful Aurora lights there are. You wake up to a massive waterfall just behind a window.

Dyrholaey lighthouse- the building itself is interesting, but the view from the spot is unforgettable. Long black beach,rocks… go there! To drive all the way up you need a4WD.

Vik - very pretty town.

Diamond beach - one of the highlights of our trip. We got there for the sunrise and experienced an explosion of colors which changed with each minute and the pieces of ice lying around reflected the light creating a visual masterpiece. Mia licked the biggest ice cube in her and my life and each one presented itself as a different animal in her eyes. A lot of fun for her and very inspiring for me.

Jokulsarlon glacier - on the other side of the road from the Diamond Beach, there are icebergs in a lake and it’s beautiful. Very touristy as well, so get there super early to avoid a serious crowd.

Reynishverfi - black beach with basalt stones. Wow!

Hofn - charming town with a beautiful houses, port and delicious food.

Stokksness - if you asked me to choose only one place in Iceland - this is it. It’s not only breathtaking, you can ride Icelandic horses over here as well. Behind a rock there is a Viking village, which is totally fake and built for a TV series that was never made. But, it is interesting and kids like it a lot. Nobody but us went there, so we had a whole village for ourselves, to imagine and play. It was fun.

Myvatn Natural Baths - our favorite hot springs! There were almost no people and it was so beautiful.

BEAUTIFUL PLACES THAT WE DID NOT MANAGE TO GET TO:

Grotta Island lighthouse - we did not make it there, but if you spend some time in Reykjavik, check it out. You can see aurora lights from there.

Solheimasandur plane wreck - I guess you saw a picture of this one somewhere on the internet. You need to walk about 1-2h one way, depends on how you walk. We could not do it, as it was too windy for Mia, but we will go back.

Road 939 - one lovely girl told me that this is the most beautiful road in Iceland and apparently locals think so as well. It was closed when we were there, but maybe you will be more lucky.

Kirkjuffel - something you should see and hopefully I’ll see in the future.

Wild hot pools - there are many and worth visiting. It was too cold to take a 4 year old to them, but maybe when you’re there it will be warmer or your kid will be older. Or you are a happy kid free traveller, then totally find as many as possible.

Romania is like a different world. World of beautiful lands, kind and helpful people, delicious food. It’s also a land of surprises. We were supposed to be there way longer, but life made it short. We’ll be back for more, as once you come to Romania, you cannot forget it.

I guess, what I am trying to say is, that all of us need to disconnect from time to time. I did it for a week on the Isle of Skye. You may think that this is an easy thing to do, but believe me it is not at all. How can you make it happen? You choose a place with no internet and no phone reception! I did it kind of accidentally, and at first I was trying to find any spot where the Internet will work. I did it. It was located in a middle of a garden. But as the garden was located on the Isle of Skye in November, it was windy and it was raining a lot. Can you imagine me standing with a phone at night, with no lights around except for the one from a phone? Someone did and while passing next to our hut, started to laugh at me. Literally, someone was laughing that I choose to stand in a rain to check my messages. I am good at learning, so I learned my lesson fast. Destiny gave me a hut with no net options, so I’ll use it. I did cheat a bit, to upload some Instagram pictures, but it is acceptable I hope.

Isle of Skye is incredible, breathtaking, a dream come true and you need to see it or put it on your bucket list so you won’t forget. If you are a person with a brave heart, choose a thatch, enjoy evenings over a fireplace and read a lot of books. The internet is a freedom, but lack of internet may set you free.

We stayed in a thatch, not because of a brave heart, but because we were passing it in August (Scotland guide will be here soon) and it looked so extremely beautiful, that I stopped the car and checked on google maps if maybe this place is for rent (true about how I do it). It was! I booked it straight away for the off season and a few months later we were back in the same place.

I don’t even know how to describe it. This place has everything you need - games, books, dvd, nature around, awesome location, well equipped kitchen and the sweetest owners ever. We rent it online on a website I did not know. We arrived when it was already dark and open the door (which were unlocked) to a warm interior with a fire in the fireplace, biscuits and tea. It definitely made my evening. We loved it so much, the whole hut, that we kept saying it over and over again. In the morning the owner came by just to say hello. This is fully, 100% not an advertisement. If you feel like a beautiful experience, maybe Katie Ann's Thatch is for you as well.

Isle of Skye is beautiful and what I'd like to advise you is to rent a car and go around it as much as possible. There are beautiful places everywhere. But if you like to be better prepared, here you go.

Spots we love on Isle of Skye

Neist Point - you need to experience it it understand the beauty of it. I could write it next to each spot in this guide, but I'll try to avoid repeating things. Imagine climbing a top of a high hill, you will have a stunning view. The whole walk all the way to the lighthouse is stunning. We also saw one of the prettiest sunsets that day.

Old Man of Storr - it is still a dream to go for this walk. We did about 50m and it was very windy, so Mia said she wants to go back (you change your plans a lot when you travel with a 3 year old). I took some shots from a distance, so you can imagine how it may feel to be all the way up there.

Quiraing - if you're not much into walks, fight this feeling. But if you can't, over here it's enough to make a few steps out of a car. Lord of the rings fans - you will feel like you're in the movie.

Kilt Rock View point - This is the easy one. Too easy not to see it. Beautiful waterfall and a nice break. The coast line is impressive as well.

Sgurr na Stri Trailhead - you can walk along a river and reach a house with located in the dreamiest location. Or just admire the view.

Elgol - There is a beach with beautiful rock formation. Worth seeing.

Fairy Pools - awesome walk and if you are brave enough, you can have a dive.

Eileen Donan Castle - just outside of the island, but since you're so close, go there as well.

Hairy Cows I love each one of them. I could upload many more pictures of them, but I am trying to control myself.

Where to eat:

The Caledonian Cafe - Very nice breakfast. We had waffles with egg and bacon - yummy. Egg and bacon roll was delicious as well.

Cafe Sia - they say that this is the best pizza place on the island - I agree. I'd also add the best breakfast and coffee.

Caroy House - a bit more fancy and so wooooow. Fish - double wow. Steak - tripple wow.

T. was absent from our home routine, which means that I stayed home alone with Mia. Before he left I assured him that it’s all good. I didn’t even think about it. We have known each other with Mia for 4 years already, we’ve been on the road together numerous times and we know how to be home without him. Easy. And then he left. I woke up in the morning, 6am per usual, made my coffee, worked a bit, prepared breakfast for Mia, woke her up, chilled with her over a breakfast, dressed her, brushed everything that needed to be brushed, walked her to the kindergarten, worked some more, made lunch for Mia, picked her up from the kindergarten, did some grocery shopping, played like crazy with Mia and created award winning ballerina dance, made her a dinner, put her to bed, fell asleep with her. Then did more or less the same thing for the next 8 days. If there’s anyone thinking that travelling by yourself with your kid is difficult, I’d like to straight it up. It is not, but staying with your kid at home and doing everything without any help, is. Once again huge, enormous respect to all you mothers and fathers who do it on the everyday basis. My admiration to you does not end.

When T. came back, I was tired. It wasn’t the end of the world, but I felt like I could definitely get some rest. T. was jet lagged, which means tired as well. So we’ve decided to pack our car and go somewhere to make it easy for both of us. It was not easier because we went to a hotel with service, or because we did not cook. It was easier, because we were in a new, exciting place and because everything was new and exciting to Mia. She loved the big windows facing the sea. She loved the apartment and she began the adventure by discovering it. She came up with dozens of games she included us in, we did not always want to be included, but we obviously took part in each single one of them. The next morning I got up at 6am and worked a bit with tiny breaks to look through the big window. She woke up, I made some pancakes and we had them in bed, while looking through the same window. Then we had a walk along the beach, a long walk. We met with a very nice person and came back home to sit in front of that window and to play a game with Mia. On Sunday it was time to go back home and I was so relaxed after this 1,5 day, that I did not mind.

I talk a lot about my travels with Mia, mostly, because I get many questions. As I see it, being on the road with Mia is easy. There’s plenty of excitement on both sides, there are extremely beautiful views involved, beaches, food, people and time with my future BFF Mia (I’m totally working on it from the day 1). But staying home alone with the coolest kid in the world with all the obligations of the everyday life and lacking the usual help you get, is not easy at all. These were only 8 days and I definitely managed, so no biggie. I also knew when my life teammate will come back. If you have a single parent friend, go and tell them that they are superheroes and ask how you can help.

TIPS:

The place we stayed at is Boulevard Ustronie Morskie. They have great apartments, but the ultimate advantage is waking up with the sea just outside of your window.

We cooked for ourselves, but we managed to visit two places, both of them delicious.

Resturacja Lampert - my nr 1 in the area. They honestly serve delicious food. Try the duck! Yummy menu for children was a big help. They also serve a regional beer, cheers.

Two weeks have passed and we’re in Croatia, after a total change of plans. Meantime I fell in love with our new home and, yet again, with life on the road. I wanted to write about our plan, but lets be honest here - since it already failed as I had to go back 1200 km to change an electro box in my car, the plan does not exist anymore. The only one is that we want to be on the road till the middle of September. We were in Bieszczady, Hungary and Romania which blew my mind with its beauty. We returned to Austria, checked out Slovenia and spent one night in Croatia, where I woke up to a smell of salt in the air. Pretty cool smell to wake up to.

Let’s start with Bieszczady. We went there to start out travel. We overlooked the fact that there was a long holiday weekend and the region was filled with people on a holiday break. Too many people, local restaurants crowded, no place to park our van, so we drove away to more far-away-areas, which was next to a border with Ukraine. This was where the magic happened and where we loved it most. Polish mountains are filled with tradition. I used to spend a lot of time in Zakopane, which is not in Bieszczady, but definitely in Polish mountains. I used to love the vibe in local restaurants, the music, the clothes and dialect. It all felt so special. It did not change. You can still experience the uniqueness and see the beauty.

As a child I always wanted to see polish bisons in their natural environment and I kind of did. We went to a national park, they were very far away, but I was jumping out of happiness. I saw them! I also sow a little ones and they were so cute. Mia was sleeping in a van, so I went back to tell Tomasz how beautiful they are and to go to check them out. At this moment a car stopped and one man told me to drive back 1km, because there is a big group of bisons eating grass next to a road. Guess what, I did listen to a random person I didn’t know, so we drove back and it was so beautiful! I was freaking out out of happiness and I could not stop staring. Mia slept through the whole experience, but I showed her some videos later on. She did not look more excited than when she sees a cow (she loves cows).

I did not expect Slovenia to be so awesome! This is what you’ll read a lot over here, as I have the same opinion about Ireland. We start the trip by shopping at the border. I never do it, but Mia made us stop. Then she saw a small pink board and she fell in love with it. This is when our trip changed. We do not use a stroller anymore, our kid wants to take her board everywhere. As she can use it only for like 5 minutes at a time, I am usually the one who carries it. As I am too lazy to carry it, I had to make a memory trip to my teen days and remind myself how to use it. It turned out that it’s like with a bike, you don’t forget. It saves loads of time and became a big part of our Slovenian adventure.

The first thing we noticed about Slovenia is how stunning it is. Green hills and beautiful mountains, little huts and friendly people. The other thing - it is not so super easy to find a nice free place for a night stop, but there are paid camper stops, which are very nice and around 10 euros, so not so bad.

Our first stop was in Solcava, where we had obara, zganci and sladica for a breakfast. This is one delicious food and I’d never have it for a breakfast (it’s a lunch option like for me), but it truly gave me loads of energy. Mia behaved like if she drank a Red Bull and she was flying over steep stairs to see a town church on a hill. I like this moment just for her and me, when her daddy works in the van. It does include a lot or running and dancing, just so you have the right picture.

We did some driving that day through the mountains and stopped from time to time for a fun break for Mia. The views remind me of Austria and Switzerland so much, but with its own unique approach. There were times when I drove into a very steep and narrow village road and I was a bit scared, but in the end there was always an easy way out. If tractors can do it, you can do it as well.

One of my favourite stops was one in Jamnik. There’s a beautiful church on a hill with a big tree just next to it. You can sit there for hours and watch the view.

Skofja Loka is a perfect stop for a food break. Not to mention that it’s pretty picturesque as well.

Lake Bled was our main destination and we stayed there for a couple of days. We took a boat to get to the island and it could take 10 minutes, but with Mia deciding that she’s most fit from our company to paddle, it took slightly longer. The island itself is a special place. You can pull the bell on a top and my kid was trying to swing on it (prohibited).

Just next to the lake Bled there’s lake Bohinjsko, as beautiful and a bit less crowded.

Uczymy się całe życie, zaś w tym miesiącu ja osobiście nauczyłam się, że pozostanie samemu w domu z dzieckiem jest zdecydowanie trudniejsze, jak przejechanie z nim samemu przez Europę czy Nową Zelandię. Być może przemawia przeze mnie “optymizm” Stycznia, jednak nie wydaje mi się.

Zaczynam od początku. Jak to w życiu bywa, zdarzyło się i nam, że jeden z partnerów ruszył sam w świat. U nas był to T., zaś podróż to kilka dni, świat się zgadza. Przed wyjazdem T. pytał kilka razy, czy na pewno nie mam nic przeciwko. Dziwiłam się, bo czemu miałabym coś przeciwko mieć. Z Mią znamy się dobre 4 lata, mieszkałyśmy nawet same w kamperze przez kilka miesięcy, więc wizja pozostania z nią w domu nie budziła we mnie żadnych większych emocji. Zaakceptowałam i życie toczyło się dalej. Pewnego dnia T. wyjechał, a ja rozpoczęłam dzień zwyczajową rutyną. Pobudka ok 6 rano, poranna kawa i chwila pracy, przygotowanie śniadanie dla Mii, obudzenie Mii, pochillowanie z Mią przy śniadaniu, wyszczotkowanie wszystkiego co trzeba, ubranie, odprowadzenie Mii do przedszkola, trochę więcej pracy, przygotowanie lunchu dla Mii, odebranie Mii z przedszkola, zakupy spożywcze, lunch z Mią, zabawa twórcza w postaci opracowania kroków to niezwykle kreatywnego tańca baleriny, który zdecydowanie powinien wygrać jakąś nagrodę, kolacja dla Mii, zęby i spać. Zasnęłam i ja. Przez kolejnych 8 dni rutyna wyglądała całkiem podobnie. Jeśli ktoś tam uważa, że podróżowanie z dzieckiem jest trudne, pragnę podzielić się moją opinią. Nie jest, za to zostanie z dzieckiem samemu w domu z obowiązkami rozłożonymi zazwyczaj na dwie osoby, jest! Po raz kolejny myślę o wszystkich mamach i tatach, którzy radzą sobie sami i zastanawiam się, kiedy zostaną rozdane pierwsze medale w tej dziedzinie. Mój podziw dla was nie ma końca.

Kiedy T. wrócił, byłam zmęczona. Nie był to koniec świata, jednak zdecydowanie potrzebny był relaks. T. walczył z jet lagiem, także oboje postanowiliśmy, że najlepiej będzie spakować auto i pojechać nad polskie morze. I koniecznie do Ustronia morskiego. Zdaję sobie sprawę, że dla większości was pomysł, żeby w ramach odpoczynku znaleźć rozwiązanie w postaci pakowania rodziny, 3,5h jazdy by spędzić gdzieś 1,5 dnia, nie jest rozwiązaniem optymalnym, ale tu również spieszę z wyjaśnieniami. Dla mnie jest. Znajdujesz się w nowym miejscu, dodam, że pięknym. Stajesz w mieszkaniu, gdzie z okien na całą ścianę widzisz morze, oddalone od ciebie o jakieś 15 metrów. Słyszysz szum i rozbijające się fale. Jeśli masz szczęście, zobaczysz burzę. Następnego dnia pijesz kawę i jesz śniadanie (po składniki oczywiście biegniesz do sklepu, bo o jedzeniu akurat zapomniałaś, a o kawie nie, masz nawet zaparzarkę) z najlepszym widokiem na świecie. Spędzasz kilka godzin w łóżku, bo ma to sens. Mia bawi się, wymyśla gry i historie, skacze po materacu, a ty śmiejesz się i ciągle patrzysz na to hipnotyzujące morze. Odrywasz się od wszystkiego. Również spacer po plaży zimą jest niesamowity. Zdecydowanie mniej ludzi, za to dużo mew. Przytulanie Mii by nie zmarzła, wyrywanie się Mii, bo zobaczyła najlepszy patyk na świecie gdzieś w oddali. Tak minęło 1,5 dnia, a zregenerowałam się na następny miesiąc.

Często opowiadam o podróżach z Mią, tutaj ostatnio nieco mniej, ale za to na Instagramie. Głównie dlatego, bo dostaję wiele pytań w temacie. Z mojego punktu widzenia, bycie na drodze z dzieckiem jest wyjątkowo proste. Dla niego ekscytacja i nowe miejsca, dla nas przepiękne widoki i nowe doświadczenia, plus oczywiście dobre jedzenie, nie oszukujmy się. Jestem sama z moją przyszłą najlepszą przyjaciółką (pracuję nad tym od dnia 1.) i to coś, co zostanie w mojej pamięci na zawsze, albo do momentu utraty pamięci. Za to zostanie w domu z dzieckiem, bez pomocy partnera, który na co dzień dzieli z nami obowiązki, jest wyjątkowo nie łatwe, nawet z najfajniejszym dzieckiem na świecie. To było tylko 8 dni i zdecydowanie dałam sobie radę. Zmęczenie dawno zapomniane, za to zrobiłam i zawodowo i osobiście, wszystko, co chciałam w tym okresie. Dodatkowo wiedziałam, że wszystko wróci do normy za 3,2,1 dzień. Jeśli wśród waszych znajomych jest tata lub mama, którzy radzą sobie sami na co dzień, powiedzcie im, że są superbohaterami i spytajcie co możecie zrobić, żeby im choć trochę pomóc. Czasem długa kąpiel bez Mii i kota dobijających się do drzwi może okazać się spełnieniem marzeń.

SUGESTIE:

W Ustroniu Morskim zatrzymaliśmy się w Boulevard Ustronie Morskie. Nie wiem, czy jest drugie tak niezwykłe miejsce w całej Polsce. Ogromne okna prosto na morze, które dają niezwykły widok w pogodę i niepogodę. Dodatkowo wygodnie i przyjemnie.

Gotowaliśmy sami, jednak udało nam się spróbować dwóch miejsc.

Resturacja Lampert - mój nr 1 w Ustroniu Morskim. Niesamowite jedzenie! Spróbujcie koniecznie kaczki I regionalnego piwa.

But in this story we’re still on our way to Georgia, leaving Bieszczady and heading to Romania. The plan was to drive through Hungary, but a friend wrote me a massage, that there’s this one village we shouldn’t pass on. I am easy to convince, so 5 minutes later we were heading to Hollókő.

I knew nothing about Hungary, about its habitants, culture, architecture, just nothing. Imagine how surprised we were, when at midnight we drove through a village, where whole families were on the streets, partying, enjoying the night. There was actually a traffic created by people and we had to wait a bit to be able to drive through. My first impression was, that Hungarians party hard on weekends. Obviously it turned out that it was a special festival :D. When we got to Hollókő, we parked in front of a tourist information and I told Tomasz, that there’s a chance that party people will wake us up. It did not happen at all. We woke up to a breathtaking village, located about 10m from our van and the coolest playground I’ve ever seen. It was a miniature of the village and Mia refused to go anywhere before she has a chance to enjoy it properly (read over an hour). Thankfully, she got hungry! We went for a breakfast to a local bakery and had Rétes for a breakfast, which is something like a strudel, but with a thinner dough and among 4 versions we had, ricotta one was the winner. I am definitely making it for a breakfast and I promise that I’ll try to make the best version ever, but I need to go back to my oven first.

Another surprise - there was a free shower in the information center! How cool is this! Hungary became my numberr 1 destination in Europe!

As we walked around the village it shortly turned out that there will be a celebration within an hour and that locals will wear traditional clothes. We were invited to stay over to see. I am a big fan of traditions, so you can imagine me crying out of all the beauty. It was only slightly embarrassing. I also cry whenever someone sings a hymn.

Hollókő was also the place, where I tried Hungarian cuisine for the very first time and Marhapörkölt will stay in my heart for a long time. I’ve decided that one day is definitely not enough and we’ve decided to spend another closer to the Romanian border - in Hortobágy.

We found a beautiful wild spot for the night and I got very excited to meet a horsemen the following day, who know how to put a spell on their horses. It comes from a long tradition and they used the trick to hide from an enemy. It was a very interesting experience to go to a farm to see how the whole process used to look. Mules were pulling a cart, horseman riding in traditional clothes. I hope it will stay around for many years to come.