bintan island ~ indonesia

the journey continues: after myanmar + again singapore (for 1 night) we reached after 2 hours by ferry the nearby island pulau bintan (indonesia). although the beach was a catastrophe (even at high tide there was not enough water to swim), we liked the hotel and the island anyway because of activities we made => just read my insights below :-)

bintan island (riau archipelago) ~ indonesia ~ adventure resort loola

gorilla guru :-)

sky walking + tree jumping by my wife (unfortunately, i was too heavy for this adventure)

small mangrove islet we could reach by foot at low tide

well, even if we choose this former pirate island especially for its nearness and easy access by ship from singapore, we have spent nice time with our eldest daughter and her boyfriend there.

first of all, the ecological sports and adventure resort loola our daughter selected, was really a good choice. we liked the silt chalets, good food and enjoyed a mass of activities: climbing at a coconut palm, sky walking, climbing wall, sailing, kayaking, bonfire, archery, table tennis, massage (is it an activity or rather a passivity?). we also enjoyed the opening of a self-made floating bar and we even have been the one and only guests one evening there. ironically, only swimming was difficult because of the low water mark (even at high tide only up to the hips). 

on the other hand, we have visited 7 out of top 10 attractions according one indonesian TripAdvisor website.

• the chinese senggarang village built up on stilts in the bay of bintan's capital tanjung pinang

 back to tanjung pinang (border control for ferries from singapore & co.):

happy chinese new year (CNY) => 2568 (chinese) = 2017 (westerm)

• penyengat island, which looked like a museum to me, was accessible in 15 minutes by taxi-boat from tanjung pinang. the most impressive landmark was the Masjid Raya Sultan Riau (Grand Mosque of the Sultan of Riau)

• banyan tree temple

• the new Avalokitesvara Graha (Guan Yin) temple with its 16,8 meters big, 40 tons heavy goddess Quan Yin out of copper and plated with gold

buddhist chinese temple + goddess quanin close to the capital tanjung pinang

• gunung bintan besar (bintan besar mountain) - hiking to the highest elevation point of the island 360 meters) and swimming in a small waterfall on the way back

view from the watching tower on top of bintan besar mountain

• crazy buddhist modern arts temple Vihara Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva 

conclusion: besides the bad bad swimming conditions, for a short time of 4 days it was quite nice at bintan. even if (according to wikipedia and people we met there) indonesia's government tries to promote bintan as touristic number 2 after (hinduist) bali, please do not overvalue that. if you asked me, bali and java (and borneo if you asked my daughter) are much, much, much more interesting than bintan :-)

more pictures here
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brünnstein mountain (1619 metres high) + tatzlwurm waterfalls in the beautiful mangfallgebirge

what a nice mother's day hiking in the hills: my 2 daughters and me .. well, i'm a quite good mother(-substitute) if you asked me and better do not ask my daughters :-) ... anyway, i'm probably a better mother than a husband & son together ...

brünnstein is a beautiful mountain in the bavarian alps (mangfallgebirge) close to the village oberaudorf and the city of bayerischzell. we have been at the chapel on the top of the (lower) east peak (1619). the main peak is 1634 metres high but not so often visited because the chapel and the view from there is much more attractive ...

and do you know what? the service personnel at the brünnsteinhaus (1360 m), the cottage right below the peak came from my native slovakia ... well, the people from poor countries often have to serve  people in rich countries, so sad :-(

walking higher & higher ...

the seeonalm and the small lake were still in winter mode 

a tasty lunch break at the brünnsteinhaus (1360 m) below the brunnstein peak

the small chapel on the top

 gorilla guru on the top of brünnstein too, 1619 m :-)

the mountain plateau

another chapel ~ close to parking place and tour start at rosengasse / oberaudorf

our last stop? the nearby tatzlwurm wasserfall (here the upper waterfall) & restaurant feueriger tatzlwurm

mr. chamois, a mountain hiker

more pictures here
eof

szklarska poreba - mountains in lower silesia ~ PL

exploring the hills along the czech-polish border ... after harrachov from the czech site we have landed some 10 km further to the north at the polish site in lower silesia (szlonsk, schlesien). any insights? yes, the nature does not seem to insist on borders: here in poland are the same hills (krkonose = karkonosze = riesengebirge), the same trees, the same pre-war german history (szklarska poreba = schreiberhau), the same glass manufacturing tradition, similar beer + tourists and hopes of the people😉

szklarska poreba

waterfall kamienczyka in karkonosze

krucze skaly (karkonosze)

my sweet witch

wysoki kamien - 1058 m ~ gory izerskie (jizera mountains, jizerske hory)

angel

gorilla guru

after karkonosze mountains a day before we have visited the jizera mountains (gory ireskie) the next two days and yes, we liked them much, much better (nicer, more pristine + not so crowded)

former iron ore mine, gory izerskie

hospital in szklarska poreba

true? better a belly from beer than a hunch from work😄

more pictures? here

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