Archive for máj, 2016

16 Máj

Londýn 2016: úvod do práce a potulky po Londýne (the beginning of work and wandering through London)

In Europeans,London 2016 by Peter Sukenik / 16. máj 2016 / 0 Comments

Today it was quite good :-)

After breakfast I quickly dressed, took my bag and adios. Peter, do not forget your electric adapter! :-)

Today I did not walk to the centre. There is a bus stop 300m from my hotel so I took double decker and after two stops, I got out right before the hotel in which stays the Slovak representation. From there it was just 10 minutes on foot.

I got the accreditation without any troubles so I went to the press centre to get more information.

Whom did I see? Giorgia Scala, main FINA and LEN photographer. We shook hands and talked a bit.


Dnes to bolo vcelku fajn :-)

Po raňajkách šup sa obliecť, batoh na chrbát a hajde. Peťo, nezabudni sa adaptér na elektriku! :-)

Dnes som už peši na štadión nešlapal. 300m od hotela mám zastávku a tak pekne double deckrom 2 zastávky až pred hotel, kde býva slovenská výprava. Odtiaľ potom už len zhruba 10 minút po vlastných.

Akreditáciu som dostal bez problémov a tak som sa vybral po ďalšie informácie do press centra.

A ajhľa, Giorgia Scala, hlavný FINA a LEN fotograf. Podali sme si ruky a prehodil zopár slov.

With the card, swinging on my neck I boldly went inside. I walked around the pool, looked around, asked some stuff where and which way to go and where. I even got somewhere I am not allowed to be but just for a moment… :-)
S kartičkou na krku som sa smelo vybral dnu. Obišiel som bazén, poobzeral sa, pospovedal personál kade sa kde ide a dostal som sa tuším aj tam, kde som nemal čo robiť. Ale len na chvíľu… :-)

There was a press conference at 12 AM. The guest were Gregorio Paltrinieri, Jazmin Carlin and Laszlo Cseh, along with the LEN president Paolo Barelli. They said some information about European Championships and the interesting thing was that together with the stars they mentioned Richard Nagy from Slovakia :-) They continued with questions for the swimmers.
O 12-tej bola tlačovka. Hosťami boli Gregorio Paltrinieri, Jazmin Carlin a Laszlo Cseh spolu s prezidentom LEN Paolom Barellim. Povedalo sa zopár informácií o ME, zaujímavosťou bolo, že medzi hviezdami spomenuli aj Riša Nagya zo Slovenska :-) Nasledovali otázky a odpovede plavcom…

After the press conference, I asked for more information and moved to the pool. There was just break between the morning and the afternoon session in diving. In the pool there was Peta Chocova swimming… :-)
Po tlačovke som si vypýtal ešte ďalšie info a presunul som sa k bazénu. Bola práve prestávka medzi doobednou a poobednou časťou dňa v skokoch do vody a v bazéne práve plávala Peťa Chocová… :-)

Whom do I meet then? Slovak officials, Mirko Sosko and Editka Kucejova were just on their way to some officials meeting :-) They did not pose for any photo, shame on them :-)

So what then? I decided to go to the city centre. Today, it was maybe the only chance. So, I looked at the map, located the tube and was good to go…

I noticed as I went out along the entrance that the security checks of the visitors were quite thorough. The wet tarmac was from the emptied bottles of water. You cannot take that inside.

A koho že som to nestretol? Mirka Sošku a Editku Kucejovú cestou na nejaký officials mítng :-) Ani na jedno foto mi nezapózovali, hanba :-)

No a čo teraz? Rozhodol som sa, že si zájdem do centra. Dnes bola možno jediná možnosť. A tak som si pozrel mapu, vyhľadal metro a hurá na cesty…

Cestou okolo vchodu si všímam, že bezpečnostné kontroly návštevníkov sú vcelku dôkladné. Ten mokrý asfalt je z vylievaných tekutín, žiadne sa do vnútra niesť nesmú.

I walked through the shopping centre to the Stratford station. There I took the Central line and went to the Liverpool street. Oh my… :-)
Peši kráčam cez nákupné centrum na stanicu Stratford. Tam nasadám a linkou Central sa veziem na Liverpool street. No ty brďo… :-)

I changed to the Circle line and got off on the Tower Hill. So, what did I see today?

At first, it was Trinity Square Gardens, then I walked around the Tower of London and across the Tower Bridge, I got to the other side of the Thames.

Presadám na Circle a vystupujem na Tower Hill. A čo som dnes videl?

Najskôr to bola Trinity Square Gardens, hneď na to som sa prešiel okolo Tower of London a cez Tower Bridge na druhú stranu Temže.

Next I walked alongside the Thames and the war cruiser Belfast and then again to the other side of the river across the London Bridge to the St Paul’s Cathedral. I looked inside, too….
Potom popri Temži a vojenskej lodi Belfast, opäť nazad cez rieku po moste London Bridge až k St Paul’s Cathedral. Nazrel som aj dovnútra…

From there I went to the London Eye so I could see the crowds waiting in line on my very eyes.
Odtiaľ potom k London Eye, aby som na vlastné oči videl tie fronty ľudí…

… and Shrek :-)
… a Shreka :-)

Aha, I could see Big Ben and Westminster…
A aha, už je vidno Big Ben a Westminster…

Watch out! You have to look… :-)
Pozor, pozeraj sa kam treba… :-)

Then only to Trafalgar Square and I ended my journey at Piccadilly Circus.
Odtiaľ potom už len k Trafalgaru a dnešnú púť končím na Piccadily Circus.

I took photo of one more taxi, one stand and shop with souvenirs and headed to the tube.
I was done…
Fotím si ešte jeden taxík, jeden stánok a obchod so suvenírmi a vchádzam do metra.
Mám dosť…

Tomorrow the start of the swimming is at 10 AM (local time). Right in the first discipline, 400m freestyle there is our Riso Nagy swimming.

I hope everything will turn out well… :-)

Zajtra sa začína plávať o 10-tej hodine miestneho času a hneď v prvej disciplíne 400m voľný spôsob máme Riša Nagya.

Tak snáď mi to vyjde… :-)

14 Máj

Londýn 2016: cestujem (travelling)

In Europeans,London 2016 by Peter Sukenik / 14. máj 2016 / 0 Comments

Alarm clock is ringing, I am brushing my teeth :-) and packing last things and right on time, there is a taxi waiting, that I called in advance. I am going from Podunajske Biskupice to the bus station Mlynske Nivy. Taxi-driver is being too talkative so I am glad I am finally getting out of the car :-) The price for the ride is 7€.

It is raining a bit outside. Bus station Mlynske Nivy is not very welcoming, it is dirty and there are some strangers wandering about. Therefore, I am better going out to platform 12 and getting some fresh air. There are some fellow travellers coming and we are leaving to Vienna airport Schwechat at exactly 7am.


Ráno budíček, umyť zuby :-) , dobaliť sa a presne načas ma už čaká vopred objednaný taxík. Veziem sa z Podunajských Biskupíc na autobusovú stanicu Mlynské Nivy. Taxikár je až príliš zhovorčivý a tak som rád, keď môžem konečne vystúpiť :-) Cena za taxi 7€.

Vonku slabo prší. Stanica Mlynské Nivy ma príliš nevíta, je špinavá, potuľujú sa po nej rôzne indivíduá a ja sa teda radšej presúvam na čerstvý vzduch na nástupište č. 12. Pomaly sa zbiehajú aj ďalší spolucestujúci a o 7,00, presne načas, odchádzame, smer Viedeňské letisko Schwechat.

I am helping the hour of ride pass by revising some English words on my mobile. I could use them this very day :-)

I am starting to be a bit nervous. Check-in is going very slowly, so after a while they are calling us also to Priority and Bag drop desk. They are giving me a boarding pass and I am leaving for Gate D. Passport check is over and now security check. When they are asking me if I have any electronic devices in my bag I am answering ‘some’. I am laying my bag on the conveyor belt and watching the whole crew that handles my belt burst into laughter when they see the content of my bag on the screen. Unpacking everything and again, ou… :-( At the end, everything is ok and I am repacking my equipment piece by piece to my bag carefully :-)

Hodinku jazdy si krátim na mobile – opakujem si anglické slovíčka. Mohli by sa mi ešte dnes hodiť :-)

Začínam byť trošku nervózny. Check-in im ide veľmi pomaly, a tak nás po nejakom čase volajú aj ku pultom “Priority” a “Bag drop”. Do ruky dostávam barding pass a odchádzam ku Gate D. Pasová kontrola zvládnutá a presúvam sa k bezpečnostnej. Na otázku, či mám v batohu nejaké elektronické zariadenie odpovedám, že nejaké áno. Pokladám batoh na pás a sledujem výbuch smiechu, keď sa obsah môjho batohu zobrazil na monitore. Pobavil som komplet obsluhu môjho turniketu. Všetko vyložiť a ešte raz… Uaaaa :-( Nakoniec je ale všetko ok a ja znova ukladám kúsok po kúsku mojej výbavičky na svoje presné miestečko do batohu :-)

We are taking off with 35 minutes delay. They are giving us “Mozzarella & pesto pasta”, yummy. There is a pretty woman sitting beside me. She is preparing a catalogue of women’s shoes during the whole flight :-)
Odlietame s meškaním 35 minút. Na jedenie dostávame “Mozzarella & pesto pasta”, mňam. Vedľa mňa sedí pekná dáma a celú cestu pripravuje katalóg dámskych topánok :-)

I am napping during the flight and almost without noticing we are suddenly above sun-drenched London. We are landing just fine. I am deplaning and along the piano :-) I am crossing the UK border.
Počas letu pospávam a vlastne ani neviem ako a zrazu sme nad slnkom zaliatym Londýnom. V poriadku pristávame, vystupujem a okolo klavíra :-) prekračujem “UK border”.

Already at home, I have decided that from the airport I will go by tube. The station is right there at the terminal and everything is perfectly marked. Firstly, I am trying to pay for the tube by contactless card from Slovenska sporitelna but it is not working. On the other hand, there is no problem with the mBank card. I am riding for over an hour without troubles, at first taking the Piccadilly line then the Central line to the Stratford. Some tube stations are quite interesting…
Ešte doma som sa rozhodol, že z letiska pôjdem metrom. Stanica je priamo na termináli a všetko je perfektne značené. Skúšam za metro zaplatiť najskôr contactless kartou Slovenskej sporiteľne, tá ale nefunguje. Karta z mBank ale problém nemá. Bez problémov cestujem čosi vyše hodiny najskôr linkou Piccadily a následne Central až na Stratford. Niektoré stanice sú zaujímavé…

At Stratford, I am having coffee and I am founding out that someone has stolen a laptop from a woman standing before me :-(

I am running out of ideas on how to continue in my journey and internet is a no-go. Therefore, I am taking a taxi and the last two kilometres I am driving like a king :-) It was definitely worth the 8£.

Na Stratforde si dávam kafe a dozvedám sa, ako pani predo mnou pred pár minútami okradli o laptop :-(

Došli mi nápady ako pokračovať v ceste :-) a internet mi nechce začať fungovať.
A tak teda nasadám na taxi a posledné 2 km sa veziem ako pán :-) Za 8 libier to určite stálo.

The hotel is another story :-( Anyway, I cannot expect better for what I have paid :-)
However, it is not a complete disaster. Wi-Fi is running so I am staying.
Hotel je už horšia kapitola :-( Je presne taký, aký som si zaplatil :-)
Úplná katastrofa to ale nie je, wifi frčí parádne a tak teda zostávam.

So, two tasks are carried out for today – to get to London and to the hotel. There is only the third left – go to the Aquatics Centre and get an accreditation…

Walking takes up over 30 minutes, but unfortunately I am learning that I have had a chance only until 15:30. Therefore, I am just hanging around and taking photos of the exterior. It looks nice…

I did not accomplish the third mission today…
However, tomorrow is also a day :-)

Dve dnešné misie sú teda splnené – docestovať do Londýna a docestovať do hotela. Tretia ešte zostáva – zájsť do Aquatics centra a dostať akreditáciu…

Prechádzka mi trvá čosi cez 30 minút, bohužiaľ ale zisťujem, že som mal šancu len do 15,30. A tak sa teda motám aspoň okolo a fotím exteriér. Vyzerá to pekne…

Tretia misia zostala teda na dnes nesplnená…
Aj zajtra je deň :-)

13 Máj

Londýn 2016: deň pred (the day before)

In Europeans,London 2016 by Peter Sukenik / 13. máj 2016 / 0 Comments

I am sitting with my friend in Bratislava, we are drinking Golden Pheasant 1973 :-) and in my mind, I am preparing for the next day. I am going over everything planned for tomorrow and I am still trying to figure out what I have forgotten or what could go wrong.

Sedím u kamaráta v Bratislave, popíjame Zlatý bažant 1973 :-) a v duchu sa chystám na zajtrajší deň. Predstavujem si, čo všetko ma zajtra čaká a ešte stále sa snažím prísť na to, na čom som zabudol alebo čo by nemuselo vyjsť.

Today I have travelled by train from Zilina to Bratislava and on the halfway to Brno, I managed to equip myself with some photographic equipment, for which I still do not have enough money :-) Thank God, for rental shop Fotori and for the great guy who runs it…

I am going to Vienna by bus in the morning and from there just before lunchtime, I am flying to London airport Heatrow. British Airways is not the cheapest option, but I looked everywhere for another affordable option with reasonable restrictions on amount and weight of hand luggage and did not find any. My “photographic treasures” will travel with me all the time :-) Not to mention I have a bit more than last year…

Dnes som sa zo Žiliny vlakom presunul do Bratislavy a ešte si zaskočil na polcestu do Brna dovybaviť sa fotovýbavičkou, na ktorú som ešte nedošetril :-) Ešte že to Fotori existuje a šéfuje mu moc príma chlapík…

Ráno ma čaká autobusový presun do Viedne a odtiaľ potom tesne pred obedom let na londýnsky Heathrow. British Airways najlacnejšie nie sú, ale nech som hľadal ako som hľadal, inú dostupnú variantu s rozumnými pravidlami na množstvo a váhu príručnej batožiny som nenašiel. Moje “fotopoklady” budú cestovať stále so mnou :-) A že ich mám o trochu viac než pred rokom…

By landing in London, I will consider the first tomorrow’s mission accomplished.

The second mission will be to get to the right hotel :-) I was counting on the fact that London is bigger than Bratislava so I left myself with enough time to get lost a few times :-) I am looking forward to that feeling when I lie down in my hotel room. Then, the main task of Saturday will be managed.

However, there is one more thing to do on Saturday – to take care of accreditation and then have a look at the venue. After that, I have a free schedule until Monday :-)

Have a nice evening…

Pristátím v Londýne budem považovať prvú zajtrajšiu misiu za zvládnutú.

Druhou bude dostať sa do správneho hotela :-) Tipol som si, že Londýn bude väčší ako Bratislava, a tak som si nechal dosť času na to, aby som mohol aj zo trikrát poblúdiť :-) Teším sa na pocit, keď sa zvalím v hoteli do postele. Tým bude hlavná úloha soboty splnená.

Ale ešte jedna povinnosť ma v sobotu čaká – vybaviť si akreditáciu a potom už len ísť okuknúť “venue” a free program až do pondelka :-)

Pekný večer…

Copyright © 2015-2024 Peter Sukenik