Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Thank you!

Now, after finishing posting the previous stories about the Xmas trip to the Baltics, there is something very important I must do, and that is to give the propers...

THANK YOU!!!

I would like to thank all the wonderful people who made of this trip a great Xmas Journey!

I want to thank the Lovely Latvians who received us: Anda, Ilze, Olga, Baiba... who not only gave us a nice tour in the city, but who also prepared a wonderful Xmas dinner for us!

Of course, I would like to thank specially to our Brazilian friend Marcio, who hosted us and shared a really great time with us!




For the people in Kaunas! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

It was an amazing Xmas Party! Specially to Kotrina and Malvina, the lovely sisters who gave us a nice tour un Kaunas!


Hope to see you in Sinergy!!!




I would like to thank Also Ekim, hour great Turkish host in Vilnus!

Man, thank you so much for receiving us and sharing nice time with us! It was a very cool Turkish Xmas!!!




And from me, very big special thanks to my trip partners! Ankur, Gabo, Mustafa and Olga!

I want to thank you very much because without you this Xmas wouldn't have been the same!

FOR FULL SET OF PICTURES AND VIDEOS, JUST CLICK ME!!!

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Riga (2)

First read: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-vilnus.html

It's Chirstmas! (25th December)

And we have to start going back home... but first, one more stop in Riga, Latvia :-)

When we arrive, a group of 4 lovely Latvian friends received us and gave us a nice tour in the center, where we even took a picture with the Latvian Santa.


Later we went to the terrace of the tallest hotel in Riga, and from there we could appreciate a nice view of the vity. The funny about this, is that the picture was taken from the toilet of the restaurant of the terrace! Of course, since it is the highest point of Riga, there is no risk to find somebody picking from outside the window :-P


After some more walking, we went back to the flat of our Brazilian host, where a very nice Xmas Dinner 2.0 was prepared.

We spent a really nice time there, and we even had some performance to earn our Xmas gifts according to Latvian traditions.


After the nice dinner and some Charade games, some decided to go to rest, and some of us decided to stay awake a little longer and had a very nice time until next morning.

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Vilnus

First read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-trakai.html

It's the third day of our trip... some of us are not so energetic as in the begining, but just some little rest was needed (even if it was in the train going back from Trakai to Vilnus):

Next morning, what we did first was to have a nice trip in Vilnus, capital of Lithuania, and we went to the highest point of the city where there are three crusses and you "could see" the rest of the city (this day was quite foggy, so no much to see from there :-P ).



If you remember well, it is already 24th of December! So, it is time to get ready for our Xmas dinner!

For those who know about Venezuelan culture, you might imagine that in my head I was picturing an Hallaca typical food for Christmas times in Venezuela... but well, not this time :-)

Instead, we prepared something different, which for some of the europeans was not so usual... Pollo A La Naranja con Piña... (Chicken a la orange with pinapple)


And where did we spent Chistmas Eve?... Our host for this evening was a Turkish AIESECer/Erasmus friend who was in Vilnus, so we went to this place where he leaves with other 5 Turkish guys in a dormitory where there are other 30 Turkish guys!

So, this was my very first Turkish Christmas ever! It was definetly different but still was special since I was surrounded by great friends :-D

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Trakai

First read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-kaisadorys.html

December 24th, 10:00 am

We are now in Vilnus after the visit we made to our dear friend Brigita, but since we are in Lithuania we decided that we could not miss some special place, TRAKAI!

Trakai is an small town, but what makes it very special is a castle that is in the middle of a lake.

The scenario is wonderful, a little could though... it was so that even the shore of the lake was already frozen, so much that even ducks could stand there. It somehow reminded me the moments skating in Riga :-P

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Kaisadorys

First read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-kaunas.html


The sun rised next morning, and even we were very tired after so much party, we finally managed to wake up and continue our journey, now to Kasiadorys, Lithuania.

This part of the trip was in fact the main reason why we decided to go on this journey, since there we were going to meet our dearest friend Brigita Regina who was once an AIESEC intern in Tallinn.

She had no idea that we were going to visit her, and unfortunatelly we didn't take pictures of the first moment she saw us, but at least we made a short video when she finally came out to open the door:

To find her address without making her suspect was not so easy. One day just chating on the Skype I decided to ask her address since I was going to send her a Xmas gift ;-)

Then, the day we arrived I gave her a call and told her:
- Hey Birgi! Have you received your present already?
- Hey Kike! No, not yet, why?
- Well, I think it might be there already at your door... can you please check?
- OMG!!!!


Then there we were, 5 foreigners from al arround the world and a big furry Tedy Bear :-)

At this point, the Xmas spirit was starting to become stronger among us.

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Kaunas

First read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007-riga.html

So, after nice Ice Skating in Riga, we went to Kaunas in Lithuania.

The reason? AIESEC Kaunas Xmas Party!!!

We arrived and we had a very nice reception! And for our sorprise, the theme of the party was "Egyptian Xmas" !!!???

From the 3 Baltic countries, Lithuanias are known for being the most alived! At least among AIESEC Baltics :-P

For us, they are the Latinos of the Baltics, laud, fun, and always ready to party big time! And this time was not an exception! :-D

For us, they are the Latinos of the Baltics, laud, fun, and always ready to party big time! And this time was not an exception! :-D

Party was really great! With games, dances, food, drinks and really cool and beautifull people!

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007 - Riga

First Read here: http://lavidavayviene.blogspot.com/2007/12/xmas-baltics-tour-2007.html


22nd of December, 1:45 am

After almost 5 hours of bus trip, we finally arrived to Riga, Capital city of Latvia.

At the bus station, a Brazilian called Marcio Soriano, freezing by the winterish kind of weater is waiting for us.

He is an AIESEC intern in Riga, and he will be our host for the night.

As you can guess, the weater conditions are not what any of us is used to, but that is just part of the adventure :-)

That night, they guys were tired so they stayed at Marcio's place... Me? Well, I still had some energy and also I wanted to see my friend Anda.


She was working that night in a bar that is one of the most popular places in Riga, so I went there and stayed dancing and enjoying until next morning, when we went to have breakfast somewhere in the center to later go and wakeup the rest of the gang to go for some Ice Skating in Lido.

It was a very nice time, and for sorprise of the europeans, the Latinos Marcio and me) could skate quite well :-)

Riga was the first and the last place we visited during this Xmas Baltics Tour, so keep reading to know what happened next.

Xmas Baltics Tour 2007

Before anything, I should start this post with some simple but innevitable words...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

So yes, this post is to tell you a little about my last Christmas (the 4th Christmas I have had abroad so far).

It was very nice, and also very intense!

A small group of foreigners (5 in total) we decided to take advantage of the fact that the Baltic countries joined the Schengen Agreement an thanks to this, there is no more passport border control between these countries and many other in Europe.

From bottom to the right:
Mustafa Alagöz - Turkey, Carlos Botero - Venezuela, Gabriel Rico - Bolivia,
Ankur Dhami - India, Olga Kuznetsova - Ubekistan

So, on the evening of the 21st of December (the same day when the Baltics joined Schengen) we took a bus to Riga, Latvia.

Curriosly, that was Mustafa's Birthday present :-) This was the first of many new trips he will be able to enjoy now! Thank you Schengen!!!

To make this post short enough, I will just highligh the tight schedule in here and then you will be able to read more into details on next posts:

21st - 22nd: Tallinn - Riga / Riga study tour and Ice Skating in Lido
22nd - 23rd: Riga - Kaunas / AIESEC Kaunas Xmas Party!!!
23rd - 23rd: Kaunas - Kaisadorys / Visiting Brigita Regina... Sorprise!!!
23rd - 24th: Kaunas - Vilnus / Vilnus short tour and dinner
24th - 24th: Vilnus - Trakai / Visiting Trakai castle and having Turkish food
24th - 25th: Trakai - Vilnus / Having Turkish Xmas!
25th - 26th: Vilnus - Riga / Xmas Celebration 2.0 (Latvian Xmas)
26th - 26th: Riga - Tallinn / Back home...

For a full set of pictures and some videos, please go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/cboteros

If you want to know more... just keep reading the next posts :-D

Nothing much not to say...

Blogging, the new way of expression.

For many the way to stay in touch (or to keep informed) people they know about their lives, about their thoughts, about their feelings.

For others, a way to connect with themselves, a way to search within their thoughts who they "really are".

For me... a little of both...


So, for those who have been wondering about me, here is a little space where you will be able to read a little of what is going on around me and around my head.


So, what about the title...

"La vida va y viene... y no se detiene..."
From the song: Corazón Partio
Artist: Alejandro Sanz


Well, there is not much to say... in part is because of circumstances that I've passing through... and in the other hand is just because, "Life comes and goes... and it doesn't stop..."