charlie, Author at Charlie Goes

Author: charlie

JayWayBaltics, Summer 2015

Transported over Trakai

May 13, 2015 charlie

A 4:30am alarm broke through my slumber and I somehow managed to get up and ready for our 5am pickup. Hot air ballooning is best done at dawn or dusk and we’d already had to delay it by a day, so no messing around this time. Our driver was waiting outside our hotel and although a certain travel blogging couple who shall remain nameless managed … Continue reading Transported over Trakai »

JayWayBaltics, Summer 2015

The Voyage to Vilnius

May 11, 2015 charlie

Via Rundale and Hill of Crosses Rather than going straight to Vilnius (an approx 4.5 hour drive/bus journey) we made a full day of it, stopping first at Rundale Palace, built for the Dukes of Courland by the Italian-born architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli (whose works include the Winter Palace in St Petersburg) in his trademark late Baroque style. Last time I was here we only had … Continue reading The Voyage to Vilnius »

JayWayBaltics, Summer 2015

Roaming Round Riga

May 11, 2015 charlie

Day 1 Arriving in Riga just before 12, we waited at one of the group’s hotels, Hotel Justus, for our guide, the characterful Toms, bedecked in his trademark green bodywarmer. We’d asked him to extend the usual 3 hour old town & market tour to also include Riga’s unique Art Nouveau quarter and for many this was the highlight of the day. Reconstructed old towns … Continue reading Roaming Round Riga »

JayWayBaltics, Summer 2015

Pressing Pause in Parnu

May 9, 2015 charlie

After a little persuasion from our contact at the Estonian Tourist Board (and a lot of trouble getting hotel rooms in Riga due to Latvia holding the rotating EU presidency) our itinerary was altered to add a stop in the Estonian seaside spa town of Parnu and drop a night from Riga. Usually just a quick stop on the drive between Tallinn and Riga, an … Continue reading Pressing Pause in Parnu »

JayWayBaltics, Summer 2015

Time for Tallinn

May 8, 2015 charlie

The first stop on the #JayWayBaltics blogger trip, my and JayWay’s first project like this, was Tallinn. Making use of a convenient direct Ryanair flight from Girona to Tallinn, we touched down in the Estonian capital on the evening of May 4th. The well-oiled baggage-handling process meant we wasted no time in getting from plane to city, with the assistance of our Tallinn partner, Est … Continue reading Time for Tallinn »

Summer 2015

Conversing on the Costa Brava

May 4, 2015 charlie

My second TBEX Europe following hot on the heels of the previous one just six short months ago in Athens. Walking into the first one where I knew just one person, this was a very different experience. Within those six months there had been WTM London, Travel Massive meetups in Prague and Berlin not to mention the so massive it’s unmanageable ITB Berlin. I was … Continue reading Conversing on the Costa Brava »

Summer 2015

Briefly in Budapest

Gallery April 30, 2015 charlie

A brief (two and a half day) stop in the Hungarian capital, a quick run around to snap some photos, some of which I may use later, posted here unedited and unfiltered.

Summer 2015

The Big Fat Slovak Wedding

April 26, 2015 charlie

First stop of my Summer 2015 European Odyssey, my colleague’s wedding to a lovely lady from the far east of Slovakia. A huge affair with 120 guests from the US, Slovakia, Czech Republic and a token Brit (me). The 11 hour night train ride from Prague got me to Michalovce around 10am. A 15 minute cab ride with a driver who decided that I needed … Continue reading The Big Fat Slovak Wedding »

Summer 2015

Parting with Prague

April 26, 2015 charlie

Leaving Prague late on the night of the 24th of April felt like saying Na shledanou (till we meet again) to a dear old friend. There will be some water under the bridge in the time I’m away and we’ll each have changed a little. I know I’ll be going back and it’s just a temporary parting. I said one extra goodbye to my apartment … Continue reading Parting with Prague »

News

April to July 2015 – the plan

April 20, 2015 charlie

So here it is, where I’ll be from late April till mid July. Over two and a half months on the road! Follow along on the blog 🙂