Če je šport izgovor, tudi prav. Gremo v svet!

Košarkarji evropski prvaki, odbojkarji evropski podprvaki, rokometaši 4. v Evropi, Primož Roglič 1. na svetovni kolesarski lestvici, Tim Gajser svetovni prvak v motokrosu... Še bi lahko našteval... To so aktualni podatki na dan 26.1.2020. Vse to iz 2-milijonskega naroda, vse to iz nabora komajda 7mestnega števila moških v lepi naši domovini. Ženskih uspehov tokrat ne bom našteval.

Slovenski kotiček v Tele2 Areni. Foto: Slavko Kolar

Uspehi nam zelo pogosto lepšajo dneve in tedne, malo smo se že razvadili. Čeprav mi osebno nimamo nič s tem, nas vseeno razveseljujejo. Vsa čast športnikom, ki vsak dan garajo za te uspehe, s katerimi se potem vsi hvalimo.

Ti zmage in porazi so vedno dobra tema pogovora, iz tega se razvije debata. Seveda obstajajo tudi kavč selektorji, ki so se večinoma od športa preizkusili samo v  desetprstnem tipkanje na tipkovnico. Po športnih debatah ljudje grejo od pogovora dobre volje in ne jezni, zamračeni, zmedeni v primeru ko debate pade na politiko. 

"Panem et circences" (Kruha in iger) so dejali že Rimljani, vedeli so kako v ljudeh vzbuditi zadovoljstvo.

Vsakemu navijaču tekma njegove ekipe dvigne adrenalin že doma, če navijaš na prizorišču pa si tako ali tako čisto v tekmi, ogret (sicer na drug način) tako kot igralci, dihaš z ekipo, si čisto v tekmi, skoraj tako kot da bi bil na igrišču. V dobrem in v slabem.

Ob tej svetovno znani zastavi z napisom Trebnje sedaj dela zastava z napisom Moškanjci že kar konkurenco.

Res je bil sem na EP 2016 v rokometu na Poljskem kot prostovoljec, prav tako na olimpijskih igrah v Riu kot prostovoljec - to je bilo organizirano in dalj časa trajajoče. Tako navijaško pa sem v zadnjih 4 mesecih komaj zdaj uvidel kako dober izgovor je to, da greš nekam na izlet v tujino, spoznavaš nove ljudi, se družiš s podobno mislečimi. Nastajajo  nova prijateljstva, nova poznanstva, nove poslovne priložnosti, srečuješ ljudi različnih profilov iz cele Slovenije, nikoli ne veš koga boš kdaj rabil. Več nas je, bolj smo glasni!

Navijači v Stockholmu z reprezentanco. Foto: Slavko Kolar

Navijamo za Rogliča in Pogačarja v Madridu

Še sam si dober teden nazaj nisem mislil, da bom danes sedel v Stockholmu, pel skupaj z ABBO "Dancing queen" karaoke in pisal blog, pa ga. Brez dobrih iger rokometašev zagotovo ne bi videl teh severnih Benetk, mesta ob vodi, te idilične severne arhitekture in spoznaval prijazne ljudi. V sredo je padla odločitev, v soboto zjutraj sem sedel na letalu, brez dolgotrajnih priprav na potovanje. Pri tej mizerni ceni letalskih kart si prav premalo privoščimo takšne izlete. Na drug konec Evrope, v Azijo ali severno Afriko lahko prideš za isti denar (oz. ceneje), kot te stane prevoz v Dalmacijo in domov za dopust. Samo dovolj iznajdljiv moraš biti. 

Tako ko razmislim, sem skoraj prepričan, da bo spomladi čas za nov podoben projekt. 

Čisto preprosto je, samo odločiti se moraš in iti. Če maš še nek izgovor, je to še lažje.

No v iskanju letalskih kart za nov izlet ne bom več dolgovezil.

Simon

#7 Postolympic period: P&SP

After Olympics in Rio finished, it was time to calm down from all olympic excitement and parties in one of the greatest cities in the world. I had to pack all my stuff and continue according to my plan and as it turned out, it was nice plan. I had one more bag to carry (a lot of olympic stuff), so I used uber (thanks to that app, I lived freely in the city) to go to bus station to take a bus to Paraty.

Time to move on from Olympics with one bag more

Paraty is one small town, approx. 250km out of Rio - 4,5h of bus ride. Town has only around 40.000 citizens and it is perfect for short active vacations on a beach of Atlantic ocean. It was nice to move from huge city to Paraty, where you can walk whole town in less than 30 mins. I met there a lot of people like me - looking for post-olympic relaxation. The bay of Paraty has 365 islands and the rainforest comes to the coast. There is a lot of possibilities for different sports activities. When I arrived to my hostel it was dark already, but I had to decide what I will do next day. I chose kayaking in the bay and I had to say it was something new for me, great experience and perfect upper body training. We paddled for around 12km, stopped at some really nice beaches and also through amazing mangrove forest.

Kayaking through mangrove forest

Lonely beach in Paraty bay

Second day I went to boat trip in the same bay, but to the other side. It took around 6h on boat and some time for swimming at some beautiful places and beaches. There was around 40 people on boat - they said in summer season it is around 200. And a lot of different companies offers similar things. Paraty in summer has twice as many people as in usual time of year.

Lonely island in Paraty bay

Another beautiful beach in bay

Town is also one of the richest in the country with old architecture and typical stones in the street (ankle-breaker if you walk with flipflops). 

Ankle-breaker streets

Postcard picture of Paraty

Third day I decide to rent a bike. I decided to go to visit one nice waterfall and one well known beach in the area. I know it would be a lot of hills, but that I did not imagine. First I went to Toboga waterfalls, just 10km out of the city and road went only slightly upwards - it was easy. Then I came to the crossroad and chose wrong direction (2km of crazy hills) and after I returned to that crossroad they told me, it is just few hundred meters in front of me. This waterfall is a big rock, which can be used as tobogan. After that I went to Trindade beach - 27km one way. At first it was nice up and down. After 19 km, it was one turn and then it starts - the hill, I think it would not be allowed even on Tour de France (14% average). More than half of it, I had to walk. When I came on that beach I was destroyed, so cooling down in Atlantic ocean was perfect thing. But knowing that I had to go over that hill again... I almost walked whole way up. Biking down was a big relief for muscles and my head. Summary of the biking - 5h, 80km, 1000+ altitude meters, body destroyed but head happy. I slept like a baby.

Toboga waterfall

                                 

Trindade beach

Nothing is stopping me!

Next day I took a bus to Sao Paulo. It took me almost 7h to come to the biggest city in South America (population: 22M). I cannot compare it to Rio - dirty, a lot of people, homeless people on every corner, even with tents on main squares. Luckily I met some realy nice people in Foz, who live in Sao Paulo, so they showed me things around. It was really uncomfortable for me to walk around the city and see those homeless people. There are only three good things I will remember about Sao Paulo. No. 1 is for sure Football museum - Must see thing for all football fans - you know all about Brazilian football, history of the world cups and more. No. 2 is food market there - when you come there, people let you try every fruit they have - from known to unknown ones. No.3 is good hospitality from my friends and also from owner of my AirBNB apartment. Two days in that huge city is enough to see all that it has to show.

Night view on Sao Paulo

Fruit market in Sao Paulo

Football museum is on Pacaembu Stadium

Tribute to Pele

After Sao Paulo it was time for Big Apple - The New York City. If I look back all together - I spent amazing 40 days in Brazil, I met a lot of amazing people, I saw a lot of beautiful places and discovered that there is still so much to see there, that I have to come back in the future. See you soon Brazil!

Lonely planet helped me a lot 

                                        

From the city, which never sleeps, 

SR

#4 Preolympic and Touristic Rio de Janeiro

On 30th of July in the evening I finally arrived at main destination of my trip - to olympic Rio de Janeiro. Plan was to visit all tourist attractions before opening ceremony (before 5th of August). And I can say that I was successful - Copacabana beach, Ipanema beach, Christ the redeemer, Sugarloaf mountain, Lapa arcs, Lagoa lake, Selaron staircases, Cidade de Samba, Rio downtown and renewed Olympic boulevard in Rio port.
But first from beginning - I arrive to Rio renewed International Airport (GIG) and then I had to drive 40km to my apartment in Barra region. Yeah, Rio is so big, that 30-40km are normal distances and with public transport it takes you more than one hour to travel that way, it depends what kind of transport you use. Because of Olympic games situation apparently improved - they built new metro line (Linha 4), all over the city, there is BRT (Bus Rapid Transport), which has its own road, no cars there. At port they built also VLT - tram system.

New metro station at line 4

Rio is also known for security problems with pickpockets and robbing, but now here is a lot of police on every main road, place, attraction, station or stadium, so you feel mostly safe, but still they tell you somewhere to leave your phone in pocket. Personally I did not have any problems so far, so I was enjoying the city as much as possible.

Amazing view from Sugarloaf

If you think about Rio - first two things that comes to your mind are Copacabana and Christ the Redeemer. Christ you can imagine from pictures, how it should be up there - big statue, amazing view of Rio and a lot of people there - and so it is, but Copacabana is something different. You expect a lot of sand and people, but that there are so many beachvolley courts, beachfootball courts or footvolley courts, there is no doubt, why Brazil is so good in football and in volleyball. From the Atlantic avenue to the Atlantic ocean, half of the sand area is for sport and half for pleasure. And Brazilians know how to enjoy the time there.

Christ the Redeemer

View from Christ (710m above sea) to Maracana stadium

Pleasure side of Copacabana

Sport side of Copacabana

But for me Ipanema beach and view from Sugarloaf are better. Ipanema is less crowded and on Sugarloaf you are just 396m directly above the sea, so you can have a good view to the city, beaches and also sea. 

Gondola to Sugarloaf

Other must see things are Selaron staircase, made from tiles - very very artistic and it is an entrance to favela. Other things are also Lapa arcs, new Olympic boulevard and walk at Lagoa lake. 

Seleron staircases

Lapa arcs

Art at Olympic boulevard

New olympic museum at Olympic boulevard

Lagoa lake

Rio also offers some hiking options, botanic garden and a lot of other beautiful but not as known and as crowded beaches (Barra, Sao Condrado). And also magnificent amazing football stadium Maracana - hosting 4 Rio de Janeiro football teams, and olympic ceremonies. 

Yes, I intentionaly wrote this blog just before Olympic opening ceremony - now my dreams will become reality - Olympic games will start and I am here, in Rio Olympic city, working as a volunteer and wondering from stadium to stadium because I simply love sports. Next stories will sure be olympic. 

Olympic games are here, best regards from Rio,
Simon

#3 One of seven world wonders

Second stop on my trip was Foz do Iguacu, the city near the place, where rivers Parana and Rio Iguacu split Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The city itself is nothing special, but in close distance there are some amazing stuff.
I spend there 4 beautiful days - three of them, I was visiting world wonders - so there will be more photos than text, because photos can tell much more.

Day 1 - Parque das Aves (Bird park) and Brazilian side of falls

Bird park has the largest collection of birds in whole Latin America - you can see almost all tropic birds including my favourite Flamingos!

Entrance to Birdpark

Flamingos

You can see many different species there

Tucan

After amazing birdpark, you just cross the road and you are at entrance to the one of the 7 world wonders - Iguassu falls - amazing views, beautiful nature - pictures can tell more than words.... 

At entrance

First glimpse at falls

panoramic view

near devils throat,rainbows

Day 2 - Argentinian side of falls

Next day was chosen to visit Argentina and argentinian side of falls. They are not so modern with credit cards as in Brazil, so you have to change the money to argentinian pesos, but still you can see these natural wonder from totally different perspective - pictures.

Waterdrops from the biggest of all falls - Garganta del Diablo

Day 3 - Itaipu lake and powerplant

This is the biggest water powerplant on the world. Building it - they spent iron for 380 Eiffel towers, concrete for 174 Maracana stadiums and waterflow is 40times bigger than on Iguassu falls. It gives electric energy for 80% of Paraguay and 15% of Brazil. The whole thing is on border between those two countries and it is like another country - own university, managers from both countries. Itaipu binacional also got UNESCO award for the project of saving atlantic forest. 

The whole world in Foz do Igaussu rotates around those natural wonders, it is totally worth of visiting, there are some breathtaking views, at some points you can stand there and watch that for whole day, three days are enough to see everything from all possible angles. If you are travelling to Brazil, Argentina or Paraguay - this is on MUST SEE list. 

Next blog coming soon from olympic Rio!

Simon