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Usually, I tend to stay for 3-4 days in a place before moving on to the next stop on the cycle tour. But when I visited Львів (Lviv), Ukraine, back in winter I fell in love with it. So much so that I got a little too comfortable, and spent more than two weeks overstaying my welcome with two locals, Yurko Yarovyj and Romana Skoropad, and a cat called Wusek (whisker) which had a charming habit of jumping on me every night at around 2.00am.
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So, late as always, a massive thank you goes to them for the bed, countless servings of barszcz, introducing me to something called “shuba” (a kind of herring and vegetable cake and one of the more peculiar dishes I’ve tried from that part of the world) and for not throwing me out sooner, especially after I lost the keys to their front door in the snow outside (sorry about that again, guys)…
Дякую (Dyakuyu) for everything!
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For interviews, articles and videos from the Arctic to Asia Cycle Tour, visit: theplacethepersontheplate.com/
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Kajtek Grzelka talks Polish Identity and life in Wrocław, Poland
I sat down with Kajtek, a pharmacy student, to discuss what it means to be Polish, the challenges facing Polish society, and life in the city of Wrocław."At school, we were "Oktyabryata"; children of the Red October. We had to wear stars with a picture portrait of Lenin as a child... In the Soviet Union, it was compulsory... when you go to university you become Komsomols; the committee of the Soviet Youth."
In Chernivtsi, Ukraine, Pavlo explained the effects the collapse of the Soviet Union had on his family and what childhood in the Soviet Union was like. Have a read at the link below!
Чернівецьке екскурсійне бюро
Pavlo discusses tourism, corruption and communism in Chernivtsi, Ukraine
In Chernivtsi, Ukraine, I met Pavlo, who discussed how the collapse of the soviet Union affected his family, corruption in healthcare, tourism and more.“I was born in the Eastern part of Ukraine...we managed to leave after Crimea was annexed, just before the war raged in my city...”
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Did you miss my belated interview from last week?
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Юлія Острогляд (Yulia) left everything she knew behind when she fled her hometown in Eastern Ukraine in 2014. I sat down with her to hear her story. Have a read below.
Yulia discusses escaping the war and Ukraine's future in Ivano-Frankivsk
Yulia Ostrohliad fled Eastern Ukraine just after the annexation of Crimea. I sat down with her in Ivano-Frankivsk to hear her story.“I was born in the Eastern part of Ukraine...we managed to leave after Crimea was annexed, just before the war raged in my city...”
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Юлія (Yulia) left everything she knew behind when she fled her hometown in Eastern Ukraine in 2014. I sat down with her to hear her story. Have a read below.
Yulia discusses escaping the war and Ukraine's future in Ivano-Frankivsk
Yulia Ostrohliad fled Eastern Ukraine just after the annexation of Crimea. I sat down with her in Ivano-Frankivsk to hear her story.An update to my website means I have to reformat the latest interview from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, before I publish it; keep an eye out for it in the next couple of days!
In the meantime, did you know there's now a map that displays the location of each of the Place, Person, Plate interviews? It also pretty neatly shows a rough outline of my route!
Have a gander at the link below:
theplacethepersontheplate.com/interview-map/
Interactive Interview Map | The Place, The Person, The Plate
Here you can find a map with each of the 'Place, Person, Plate' interviews marked on it. Click on the markers to see who we spoke to and where!Ukraine has a new president.
When I visited a couple of months ago, Volodymyr Zelensky, a TV comedian known for playing a teacher who is propelled into the presidency by a viral video, was laughed off as a potential contender for the highest office in the country, then held by the widely disliked Petro Poroshenko. Last night, Zelensky won in a landslide, with 74% of the vote to Poroshenko’s 24%.
Many that I spoke to were fed up with Poroshenko’s corruption, and his apparent profiteering from Ukraine’s political woes. Zelensky, who has never held any government position, promised to be “something different”. Like his competitor, he is pro-European, but other than that has kept his cards close to his chest, revealing little about his political leanings. Now, he will determine the fate of the Ukraine-Russia conflict in the East, though he has yet to publicly declare any specific plans for his country’s future.
This election cycle in Ukraine has seen its fair share of drama. Earlier this year, it emerged that two individuals, both named Y. V. Tymoshenkos, would be running for office. The most well-known of the two is Yulia Tymoshenko, who has spent two terms as Ukraine’s Prime Minister, whilst @Yuri Tymoshenkos is a relatively unknown independent member of parliament. It was suggested that Yuri’s entrance into the race was a ploy to confuse voters at the ballot box in an attempt to siphon votes from Yulia, who was seen as a much more serious threat to the other candidates.
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For interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia Cycle Tour, visit: theplacethepersontheplate.com/
"People are disappointed in the president... he’s unable to stop the war... We’re waiting, and every few days somebody is killed... A friend of mine had problems with blood pressure in his head from the shockwaves from the explosions that were happening too close to him..."
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For my second interview in Lviv, Ukraine, I spoke with Oleksandr Rozhok, who discussed differences between Western and Ukrainian Christmas, the youth culture in Ukraine compared to that of the UK, the social effects of the war in the East and more. Have a read at the link below!
Oleksandr talks Ukrainian Christmas, Maidan and more in Lviv, Ukraine
In Lviv, Ukraine, I met with Oleksandr Rozhok, who discussed Ukrainian Christmas, the 2014 revolution, how the war has affected Ukrainian society and more.It's been a while. So, if you've missed watching two clueless cyclists attempting to cycle halfway across the world, then I have good news: part 4 of the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, which took us through Sweden, Denmark and Northern Germany, is now up on YouTube!
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Featuring myself (Tieran), Miriam, my Norsk family (Anders, Leif, Håkon and Turid), and all those we met or who helped us out along the way:
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Svein Rune Berg, Amalie Berg, Maria Viktoria, Anna Kristine Berg, Jørgen Marentius Pettersen, Sunniva Berg, Ørjan Drabløs, Torben Jørgensen, Dorthe Greve Jørgensen, Kåre Lindqvist, Alex Wilson, Callum Gathercole, Maria Sara Klinner, Lasse Klinner, Louie Hammeken Klinner, Michel Hammeken Klinner, Charlotte Hannibal, Brian Hansen, Michael Pietsch Melanie Pietsch, Fritz and Max Mahlmann
Have a watch below!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjmGDfMD6bc&t=
Arctic to Asia Cycle Tour Part 4: Sweden, Denmark and Germany
Fashionably late as always, here's part 4 of the Arctic to Asia cycle tour; the last leg I cycled with Miriam before continuing solo. After setting off with ...With nowhere to stay, the temperature dropping rapidly and the inevitability of sunset inching ever closer, I was starting to psych myself up for a freezing night at the roadside in Poland’s Carpathian hills.
So, my fingers and toes owe Henryk and Maria a huge thank you for saving the day and inviting me to stay with them in their cabin, Słomiana Chatka, which was one of the most rustic experiences I’ve had on the trip so far.
Henryk spent the last few summers building it from scratch, even using hay and mud to construct the walls. With no WiFi, TV, or phone service to distract me, I was able to switch off and enjoy an evening basking in the warm glow of a fireplace, conversing using charades (and google translate when we moved to the corner that sometimes got 1 bar), eating soup, and learning to crack walnuts with the flick of a knife, a skill I’ll cherish for years to come. Dziękuję Bardzo!
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For interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, visit:
theplacethepersontheplate.com/
"I was working just 1000 metres from Maidan. I heard the explosions from the gas grenades, and then I saw on the news that something serious had happened; that policemen had shot people…"
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I sat down with Max Chernyaev in Kiev, Ukraine's capital, to discuss the Ukrainian revolution, the war with Russia, political corruption and more. Have a read at the link below!
Max Chernyaev discusses the Ukrainian revolution and more in Kiev
In Kiev, Ukraine, I sat down with Max Chernyaev to talk about the Ukrainian revolution (Maidan), the war with Russia, corruption and more.Still scrambling to work through my backlog of 'thank you's; this time a very belated 'Dziękuję bardzo' goes to Grażyna, Klaudia, Izabela, and Andrzej in Poland. After several days riding through the foothills of the Carpathian mountains, they sorted me out with my very own private cabin/bungalow (Chata na końcu świata) on a hilltop overlooking Tarnów for three nights, as well as food, poker and some lessons on the local history!
In Poland, it's unusual to drink tea with milk like I'm used to back at home, but in a landmark cross-cultural exchange, I was able to convince Andrzej and Izabela to brave the national beverage of my homeland, English breakfast tea. As you can see, it didn't go down too well...
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For interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, visit:
theplacethepersontheplate.com/
"...a lot of people here don’t like Russian speakers... We bumped into a group of girls who were nationalists... When they heard that we were speaking Russian, they began to surround us... they started shouting at us. One girl I was with was beaten."
In Lviv, Ukraine I met with Victoria Gazda, who told me about the issues facing Russian-speakers in the city, Ukrainian food and more. Have a read at the link below!
Victoria Gazda discusses attitudes to Russian and more in Lviv, Ukraine
In Lviv, Ukraine, I met with Victoria Gazda, who told me about the issues facing Russian-speakers in the city, Ukrainian food and more.Way back in 2017, with no cycling experience (let alone cycle touring experience) and my departure date fast approaching, I turned to the one place I knew I could find help; the place where I’d spent hours upon hours absorbing knowledge late into the night when I should have been studying during my school years and, let's be honest, my university years, too. I turned to YouTube.
After trawling through video after video looking for advice for a novice like myself, I eventually settled on one channel in particular, which is where I learned most of what formed the basis of my albeit limited touring knowledge before I flew to Tromsø to begin my journey.
By pure chance, it just so happened that the guy behind this channel, Darren Alff (AKA the 'Bicycle Touring Pro’), was in Lviv, Ukraine, at the same time as me! A lot of unpredictable things have happened on this trip, but going to a zoo (a generous term for what it was) and an ‘underground coffee mine’ in Ukraine with the cyclist I’d watched travel the world from behind a screen is definitely high up on the list! Cheers Darren for all the tips and advice!
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Darren’s Channel: www.youtube.com/user/bicycletouringpro
For interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, visit: theplacethepersontheplate.com/
With Brexit, the Michael Cohen drama, and the collapse of talks between Donald J. Trump and Kim Jong Un sprawled across most newspapers, Moldova's parliamentary elections flew under the radar in western media earlier this week. So here is yet another oversimplified explanation:
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The results of last Sunday's vote could determine whether the landlocked Eastern European country aligns itself with Russia or the European Union. Currently, the presidency is held by Igor Dodon, who envisions a country with closer ties to the Russian Federation, whilst Parliament, prior to the elections was controlled by the Democrats, a more EU-friendly party, led by Pavel Filip. This meant that there was a tug of war between the two branches of government, and a lot of conflicting messages.
But why, a week after the elections, do we still not know what the results will mean for Moldova? Because, whilst the Socialist party won the most seats, they still only secured 31% of the vote with a 49% voter turnout, meaning they have been unable to form a majority. The socialist party must now form a coalition with another party, though its unclear who that would be since the second biggest party is their primary opposition, and the third is ACUM, which has taken a strong stance against corruption and also desires closer ties with Europe. If nothing changes, a second election could be held as soon as a few months from now.
To add to the uncertainty, the elections have been marred by allegations of voting fraud, including vote-buying, and accusations that Russia attempted to interfere with the election (sound familiar?) by opening an investigation into an alleged money-laundering scheme involving Pavel Filip just two days before the election. All of that has prompted calls from the Democratic party for an investigation (sound even more familiar??), but the results have been accepted by all parties, who must now come up with a way out of the situation they've found themselves in.
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For interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, visit:
theplacethepersontheplate.com
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Partidul Democrat din Moldova
Partidul Socialiștilor din Republica Moldova
“My mum had money until maybe the 10th… day of the month... If my grandma didn’t feed us… we would probably have been starving… she still has nightmares... because she was always concerned during communist times that she wouldn’t have enough to buy food.”
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Przemysl, Poland, was my last stop before I crossed the border to Ukraine. There, genealogist Maciej Orzechowski told me about his memories from communist Poland, the 1980s martial law, how catholicism has impacted him, life in his hometown and more.
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Have a read at the link below!
Maciej discusses memories from communist Poland and more in Przemyśl
In Przemyśl, I spoke with Maciej, a genealogist, about his memories from communist Poland, the 1980s martial law, Catholicism and more.As always, I'm super far behind with my thank you messages...
This time, big thanks go to the guys at Farma Kozłówek ('Kozłówek Farm' if that was difficult for you) in Poland who hosted me and spent longer than they should have attempting to teach me the Polish alphabet. More importantly, the shops nearby were closed and I probably would have passed out if they hadn't come to the rescue and provided me with some food. Dziękuję almost three months late!
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For interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, visit: theplacethepersontheplate.com
It is with regret that I must inform you all of a day I hoped would never come.
Those of you who know me or have followed this trip from the beginning may be aware that I had virtually no cycling or bike repair experience before this trip; that lack of experience extends to fixing punctures.
"I ordered puncture resistant tyres", I told myself, "I'll be fine". And for many months, I was. But after 3,674km of cycling, my rear tyre, weary, overworked and neglected, was ruthlessly pierced something in the road. A thorn? A piece of broken glass, perhaps? We will never truly know how, or why, this happened.
And so with Ali, my host in Comrat, guiding me, I set to work. Surgery began at 11.55am on Saturday, and I'm pleased to report that after ten minutes we were able to stymie the air loss and return the inner tube to a stable condition. It was a close one, but it looks like my bike will fully recover.
TLDR: 6 months in, it was about damn time I finally learned how to repair a puncture.
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For interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia cycle tour, visit: theplacethepersontheplate.com
"I was raised with faith, and I try to pass this... to my children. So we pray every day… Faith in Poland is changing now... we are westernising. When I go to church, I only see old people... very few children.”
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What better way to spend Valentine's day than sitting down to learn a little about Polish culture?
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In Podlipie, I spoke with Wojtek, a health and safety specialist and the man behind Olejove, to hear his take on the changes Poland has undergone in his lifetime, the role of religion in Polish society, the state of the environment and more.
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In the spirit of romance, here's a bonus quote from the interview:
"Before I met my wife, Dorota, I hadn’t imagined myself as a father, but when I met her we decided after one year to get married… we love each other and we want to have fruits out of this love, and so it was a natural decision to have children... I found the best wife I could have done."
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Read more at the link below!
Wojtek Hasior talks religion, environmental recovery, and more in Podlipie
In Podlipie, I spoke with Wojtek Hasior about the changes he has seen in Poland, the role of religion in Polish culture, environmental recovery and more.Ukraine will be permanently scarred by the 2014 revolution. But many don't know why the protests came actually about and how they affected the current state of world affairs, so here is a simplified version:
The story begins when then-president Viktor Yanukovych withdrew last-minute from a deal with the EU that he'd promised to sign, and instead signed one with Russia.
His withdrawal was not what prompted the revolution, however. That weekend, hundreds of people, who felt they'd been duped by the president, stood in peaceful protest in Maidan Square in the city centre, demonstrating their support for closer ties with Europe. In an effort to quash these protests, special police known as the 'Berkut' surrounded and then proceeded to beat numerous protestors.
And so, the dominoes began to fall. It was this abuse of power that saw a spark of dissidence ignite into the Ukrainian revolution. Tens of thousands took to the streets, turning Maidan Square in the city centre into a permanent camp and refused to move. This, in turn, was met with further police brutality; berkut snipers picked off protestors from rooftops and over 100 protesters, who would later be called the "Heavenly Hundred", died at the hands of the police.
When the bloodshed showed no signs of stopping, and protestors began threatening to arm themselves, Yanukovich was forced to flee the country. Almost immediately after that, sensing the election of a more pro-EU and less Russia-friendly president, Russia annexed Crimea, leaving us where we are now.
If you walk up the street behind Maidan Square, you'll notice bulletholes in some of the lamp posts at the roadside, a reminder of the cruelty and corruption that thrust Ukraine onto the forefront of the world stage, and triggered a crisis the likes of which haven't been seen since the Cold War.
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For interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia Cycle Tour, visit theplacethepersontheplate.com
Today I met the Moldovan Mafia.
At home, I'm used to the idea that urban areas tend to have higher crime rates, whilst in the countryside you can afford to let your guard down. In other parts of the world, however, it's easy to forget that the opposite is true. I’d been warned about this in Ukraine, but since no one anywhere seemed to know anything about Moldova, I didn’t really know what to expect upon my arrival.
Today, as I weaved between potholes exiting Sîngerei, just south of Bălți , I was pleasantly surprised to see three friendly-looking guys waving and calling out to me. As they stepped out into the road to greet me, I slowed to a halt, and began explaining my trip to what I thought was merely a curious group of locals.
As the passing cars faded into the distance and we were left alone, the tone changed. The smiles faded, and they began circling my bike, so that at least one of them was always out of sight. “You know mafia?” one of them leaned towards me and gripped one of my handlebars; I laughed nervously. “We are mafia. You-” he rubbed his fingers together in what I recognised was a symbol for ‘Pay us’. I moved my bike backwards slightly “Net, net, net (no, no, no)”, I tried my best to appear confident and unphased as I made a move to turn. Before I knew it a hand gripped my arm. “You have camera. ” he gestured to the GoPro poking out of my handlebar pack. “Pay.” He made the symbol with his free hand again.
Whether it was because of the language barrier, or perhaps they just thought I wasn’t worth the trouble, or maybe, just maybe, it was a dot in the distance that slowly morphed into a police car as it approached, but I shook my arm free, pushed my bike forward so my new friends had to choose between moving aside or getting run over, and pedalled. In a bizarre exchange as I shot off, heart racing, one of them even waved goodbye; in my confusion I returned the gesture.
Moral of the story: it’s easy to forget that, whilst most people have good intentions wherever you go, it’s still worth being a little wary of who you stop and talk to, and that maybe you shouldn't make a habit of openly carry valuables when there are people around on a trip like this.
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See interviews and articles from the Arctic to Asia cycle tour on our website: theplacethepersontheplate.com/
"...my country is a weird country... almost everywhere in Poland, you can see these signs: 'this building was built with European money'... now our government is saying... 'like the UK, we have to get out of the EU!' But, Jesus Christ, we’re getting profits from the EU all the time!"
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I sat down with Marika Kasprzak to discuss everything from the rise of nationalism in her home country to, Polish cuisine in Kraków, Poland. Have a read at the link below!
Marika Kasprzak discusses the ups and downs of life in Kraków, Poland
In Kraków, I spoke with Marika Kasprzak, a 23-year-old student who hopes one day to work on radio programmes, about life in Poland's former capital.As I trundled clumsily out of Katowice, Poland, the hospitality continued:
A huge and very late thank you to Wojtek and Dorota in Podlipie, who introduced me to Poland's only "desert", allowed me to join them for All Saint's Day, and prepared homemade and homegrown food for me during my 3-night stay. All that whilst looking after their two young children (who I promise were happy to see me despite Tomek's expression in the photo below), a dog, a cat and a hamster! Dziękuję bardzo!
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Website: theplacethepersontheplate.com/
"Poland was left alone many times by its allies… the ‘Allies’. We have always had to fight for freedom, but we never gave up… We got back on our feet, and we’re now standing on our own two legs."
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At Buffalo Ranch, I spoke with Janus Wrzosek, a farmer and former businessman who left the country during a period of Marshall law in the 1980s, and returned after the fall of the communist government, about life in rural Poland, and the nearby village of Dabrówka Dolna, Opole, Poland.
Janus Wrzosek Discusses Life in Dąbrówka Dolna, a Rural Polish Village
In Dąbrówka Dolna, I spoke with Janus Wrzosek, a 61-year-old farmer and former businessman who left communist Poland in 1981, and didn't return until 1998.New year, same me: it's not that I've experienced a sudden dip in hospitality, I'm just now two months behind on my 'thank you's for those who have taken me in or helped me out in some way on the cycle tour.
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For my time in Czestochowa, special and belated thanks go out to Jarek Grzadzielski (I struggle typing that as much as you struggle reading it), his sister, Gosia, and Brysiek, the dog who almost stopped growling at me by the end of my 4 day stay with them.
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Thanks also to Karol and Mateusz, who told me about life in the Catholic church during their visit to Jasna Góra, a pilgrimage site this part of Poland is famous for.
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Website: placepersonplate.com
What's it like to travel as a left-leaning American in the age of Trump?
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Have a read of Miriam Ritter's latest article on 'The Place, The Person, The Plate' at the link below! Apologies to our European readers for all the American spellings...
Traveling in the Trump Era | The Place, The Person, The Plate
How does it feel to travel as a left-leaning American in the Trump era? Have a read of Miriam Ritter's article on 'The Place, The Person, The Plate'."We were seriously culturally damaged by the wars; the Nazis stole a lot of things... more was destroyed by the Russian Soviet army... how can you have such strong nationalistic feelings for a country which is pretty much a husk of what it could have been?”
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It was a pleasure to discuss what it means to be Polish, the challenges facing Poland, and the ins and outs of life in Wroclaw, Poland with Kajtek Grzelka, a 20-year-old Student of pharmacy. Have a read on 'The Place, The Person, The Plate"!
Kajtek Grzelka talks Polish Identity and life in Wrocław, Poland
I sat down with pharmacy student Kajtek, to discuss what it means to be Polish, the challenges facing Polish society, and life in the city of Wrocław."The mentality of people in Poland is completely different from people in Western Europe… when you break a certain point, they can be more open than the Englishman who is smiling at you and saying all the time ‘how are you?’ but not expecting a proper answer."
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My first interview from Poland is now up on "The Place, The Person, The Plate"! I spoke with Greg Miniach about life in Nowa Sól, a town once famous for it's production of gnomes for Western Europe. Have a read at the link below.
Greg Miniach discusses life, culture, food and more in Nowa Sól, Poland.
In Nowa Sól, a town in western Poland famous for it's production of gnomes, I spoke with Greg Miniach about life in this part of his country.Since numerous technical issues postponed the publishing of my last interview, I figured now would be a good time to change publishing days. So, starting now, interviews will be published every 2nd THURSDAY rather than Wednesday. Keep an eye out tomorrow for my first interview from Poland! 🇵🇱🚴♂️
For those wondering about the situation in Ukraine:
On the 26th of November, Russia attacked and captured three Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov, which lies between Ukraine and Russia and is separated from the Black Sea by the Crimean Peninsula. This prompted President Poroshenko to propose to parliament a declaration of martial law, which he suggested should last for 60 days across the entire country; no exceptions.
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Fortunately for many Ukrainians and foreigners travelling in the country, this decree was watered down, in part because it would have interfered with the presidential elections due to take place in March 2019 (all election campaigning is suspended under martial law). So, for now, control has been handed over to the military in 10 of Ukraine's 25 provinces for 30 days rather than 60, meaning it's business-as-usual in the western portion of the country, where I am now, and the capital. As it stands, my route to Moldova hasn't changed, but I will keep an eye on the situation in case it escalates. Until then, thank you for all the concerned messages; hopefully the situation can be resolved peacefully in the near future.
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Website: theplacethepersontheplate.com
Did you miss our latest video? Here is the trailer for part 3 of the Arctic to Asia cycle tour. Watch the full thing on our YouTube channel, "Place Person Plate" featuring myself (Tieran Freedman) and Miriam Ritter navigating central and Southern Norway!
Full Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8oi6uW4B2M&t
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Website: www.placepersonplate.com/
"...I realised there was something wrong... People disappeared, people were punished or put into prison without any reason... you had people spying on you and reporting you to the secret service."
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Have you ever wondered what it was like in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin wall, or how it feels to have your home country disappear overnight?
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Have a read of my interview with Petra Wiezer, who shared her experiences from the GDR and told me about life in the small village of Rauen (finally published now that the website has fully recovered...)!
Clemens Sprunghofer
Pit Wiezer on her experience in the GDR (East Germany) and life in Rauen
Pit Wiezer shares her experiences from East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall and discusses life in the small village of Rauen.Disaster. Technical difficulties that I barely understand have meant that I'm currently scrambling to fix some bugs on the website. In the meantime I have had to take today's interview with Petra down, and the site itself will not be accessible for a brief period. It will be up again as soon as soon as possible xoxo
At long last I managed to put together a video of our cycle through Central and Southern Norway. Wildly underprepared, out of our element and behind schedule, it was a surprise to both me (Tieran) and Miriam that we made it to Oslo in one piece. Have a watch on our YouTube channel, 'Place Person Plate', below!
A big thank you to all of you who feature in this video who helped make the first leg of the trip possible:
Svein Rune Berg, Berit, Amalie Berg, Anna Kristine Berg, Svein Olav, Gunhild Hatlen, Renee Katrin Johnsen, Jørgen Eng, Berit Stensrud, Johan Holmen Sagheim, Emma Øverhaug Sagheim, Ane Sagheim, Sindre, Anders, and Thomas Solvang, and of course my family and their dancing - Olea, Lina, Anders Sæther, Cecilie Askeland Mosli, Leif.
Unfortunately I didn't have footage of everyone, but more thanks go to Paul Pincus, Ruth, Jacob Mosli, Hege, and Nippe Fossland, Randi Øverhaug Sagheim and Håvard Sagheim, all of whom either hosted us or helped us out in some way!
Arctic to Asia Cycle Tour Part 3: Central and Southern Norway
Finally, after a month of procrastination, here's the third part of our Arctic to Asia Cycle Tour, which took us from Trondheim in Central Norway down to Osl...“...the rent prices are going to rise even more. It’s not affordable for people like me not earning much money… I have an old contract... I’m in a situation where I have to keep this flat even though it’s quite expensive… I’m too poor to move out, because to get a new flat I would pay almost the same now for a one room apartment.”
In Berlin, Germany, I spoke with Claudia Herper, a 33-year-old receptionist with strong ties to both Germany and Poland, about what life is like inside the country's metropolis. Have a read at the link below!
Amstel House Hostel Berlin
Claudia Herper discusses life in the German Capital of Berlin
In Berlin, we spoke with Claudia Herper, a half-German, half-Polish 33-year-old receptionist about life, culture, food and more in the country capital.Where do I begin with my stay in Nowa Sól?
An extremely special thank you to Marek, a writer and expert in local history who welcomed me to the city as though I was a long-lost relative; introducing me to locals, cooking authentic Polish cuisine for me, and showing me the nooks and crannies of the town all while insisting I wouldn't be "one złoty worse off" after my stay.
Another to Sławomir (Sławek), who put me in touch with other people to stay with on my journey through Poland and Ukraine, invited me to join his family for dinner and even gave me a fleece to take with me as a souvenir.
None of this would have happened without Greg, who contacted Marek on my behalf and guided me through the surrounding villages and countryside on a tour of nearby attractions and treated me to a not-so-polish pizza (and as of the time of this writing, it's his birthday, so happy birthday to him!!).
Shout outs to Andrzej, who took me on cruise along the river oder, stopping at a WWII bunker along the way, the owners of 'Przystań kajakowa', whoever they may be, for providing me shelter during my 4 night stay (despite my initial claim that I'd only be there for 2 days) and to 'Kacper' bike shop for giving my bike a desperately needed service and sorting me out with some self-sealing inner tubes.
Last, but not least, thank you to Marek's son, Kajtek, for agreeing to let my bike and gear clutter the hallways in his flat in Wroclaw, Poland for 4 days so I was able to go home for my Grandad's birthday.
You're all heroes, dziękuję!
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See the latest articles and updates from the Arctic to Asia cycle tour at the link below:
theplacethepersontheplate.com/
"This was the Eastern part of Germany, and just on the other side of the river, it was the Western part. So people who lived here could never reach the Elbe... Only for the last 28 years, people have been able to go there, and feel the river and the floodplains."
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Check out Heiko Berg's take on life in Lenzen, an ancient town surrounded by the stillness of nature and my main stop-off during my cycle from Hamburg to Berlin.
BUND-Besucherzentrum Burg Lenzen
Visit Germany
Heiko Berg talks history, food, nature and more in Lenzen, Germany
In the historical village of Lenzen, I spoke with Heiko Berg, Vice-Manager of a biosphere visitor centre, to get his take on life in this part of Germany.Day 1 in Poland:
I was in high spirits; Eastern Europe at last. I'd made it. As dusk drew in and my mind began to wander, so did my bike; closer and closer to the edge of the road where cobblestones met forest. With a jolt and a screech, I snapped back to reality as my bike skidded to a halt. My heart sinking, I looked past panniers, bunjee cords, and plastic bags to see my derailleur bent wildly out of shape with a stick mangled in it and the chain.
Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes to hours as I fumbled with bike parts I didn't know existed. "At least it's not raining", I thought just as the first raindrop of an approaching storm splashed against my shoulder. After exhausting every ounce of my limited bike-repair knowledge, I resigned to pushing my trusty steed all the way back to the last road I'd seen a car on, and waving frantically at the first headlights I saw. Fortunately for me, the driver behind those headlights was Pawet, who took pity on me and agreed to drive me the remainder of my route to my hotel.
So long story short, a huge thanks to Pawet for taking the time to help out a stranded and, at the time, increasingly desperate cyclist. And for those wondering: my bike is fixed up and happy and healthy for now.
What's it like coming home after 2-and-a-half months on the road? Check out Miriam's account of her adjustment to reality in the US after completing the first leg of the Arctic to Asia Cycle Tour...
Sweet Home USA | The Place, The Person, The Plate
Miriam's take on adjusting to life back home in Illinois, USA, after cycling the first leg of the Arctic to Asia Cycle Tour.Until 3 hours ago, my grandad thought I was riding my bike through the Polish countryside... Surprise! Happy 83rd birthday to the man, the myth, the legend, Dennis Freedman, without whom there'd be no Arctic to Asia Cycle tour, no Place Person Plate and no me ❤️
We've been quiet, too quiet. So here's a conversation with Martina and Jörg Mahlmann about life, the universe and everything in Hamburg, Germany, AKA 'the gateway to the world'...
Thanks to Max Mahlmann for having us stay with him for a week and letting us interview his parents.
An interview with Martina and Jörg Mahlmann in Hamburg, Germany
The Place: Hamburg, Germany It’s easy to fall in love with Hamburg. For those not usually a fan of big cities, this one may offer a solution. Before you have time to feel claustrophobic, or walled in by the hustle and bustle around you, you’ll stumble across one of the many canals that carve ...A big thank you to Petra (Aka Pit), Sven, Clemens and Vincent for having me stay for three nights, introducing me to some of the only American Bison in Germany, and giving me an unforgettable experience in the old coal-mining town of Rauen. A great way to end my time in Germany; danke schon!
"I did not want to live in an apartment. And then we came up with the houseboat idea. It was €1,000,000 for a houseboat.... It was always just a dream that we didn't think would actually happen."
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For our first and only interview in Denmark, we met with Torben and Dorthe Jørgensen on a ferry that they've converted into a houseboat. Have a read at the link below to find out their take on life, culture, food and more in the Danish capitol!
theplacethepersontheplate.com/copenhagen-denmark/
An Interview with Dorthe and Torben Jørgensen in Copenhagen, Denmark.
We met with Dorthe and Torben Jørgensen on a ferry from 1947 that they converted into a houseboat to chat about life in Copenhagen, Denmark.The eagle-eyed among you may notice that we will not be publishing an interview this week as we have done every Wednesday since the Arctic to Asia cycle tour began. That's because we're now publishing one every two weeks in order to free up some more time to produce and edit videos! So keep an eye out next week for an interview in Denmark ☺️
A huge thank you to Fritz and his wife (who's name we never caught) for having us stay in their home in Ahrensbök. This was a special case, because Fritz didn't speak any English, and Miriam and I don't speak a word of German. So we were extremely surprised when, through the use of charades and Google translate, he invited us to stay for dinner, a night in his spare room, and breakfast. He also doesn't use the Internet and will probably never see this but Fritz, if you're out there, thanks for a fantastic evening, the hospitality, the best homemade plum marmalade I've ever had, and for the hat.
Surprise, we're not in Norway any more! In Gothenburg, Sweden, we spoke with Kåre Lindqvist, a 20-year-old aspiring music producer, about his thoughts on life, culture, food and more in this quirky Swedish city.
Have a read on our website below!
Kåre Lindqvist's take on life, culture and more in Gothenburg, Sweden.
We spoke with Kåre Lindqvist, a 20-year-old aspiring music producer, to find out his thoughts on life, culture, food and more in Gothenburg, Sweden.In case you missed it, here's a cheeky promo for our first video diary from the road. You can now find the full video on our YouTube channel, 'Place Person Plate', at the link below!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yNcKN3NqHk
Our first video diary from the road is now up on YouTube! Please enjoy our fist few weeks of wind, hail, rain and snow as we traversed the North Norwegian coast. You can find it on our channel, 'Place Person Plate'.
Big thank you to Kåre Lindqvist for helping out with the soundtracks!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yNcKN3NqHk&t
Ft. Myself (Tieran Freedman) and Miriam Ritter
"...to run a restaurant, you have more in common with cinemas and theatres than you have with other people that produce food, because you sell more of a story than the food itself."
For our final interview in Norway, we spoke with film-producer turned chef, food writer and restaurant-owner Henrik J. Henriksen, who happens to be one of the guys behind Taco Republica, to get his take on life in the country capital. Thanks Henrik for taking the time to chat with us!
Have a read on our website to find out more...
Henrik Henriksen discusses life, culture and food in Oslo, Norway.
We sat down with Henrik Henriksen, a film-producer turned chef, restaurant-owner and food writer, to find out his take on life in this part of Norway.Reliable sources have told me that our interviews are just a tad too long to bother reading them. So, without further ado, here is our new interview format, meaning that from now on you can expand and read just what you're interested in, and skip the rest without having to trawl through a metric tonne of text.
