Crossing Europe's Crossings

Tallinn in May.
More information about this city will be updated soon.

In the middle of the Baltic’s I had a special couple of days in Riga. 
On the day of arrival I didn’t have an assistant yet, but a few hours later I already made the best shot of my days there. I really like the way it goes to find assistants sometimes, and it is never the same, but always involved are enthusiastic people. I’ll tell you how it went this time. At 15.00 I arrived at my accommodation after a trip with a very luxurious but very cheap bus out of Tallinn. During my first walk in the city centre I walked in a computer store where I asked someone behind the counter if he probably knew someone interested in photography and assisting for a photo project. He guided me to Dmitrijs who was really willing to help but had no time. He rang some friends, 10 min later a nice girl called Martha came along to hear about it al. She had no time to, but she called a student and 2 hours later I met Edgars on the most busy spot near the train station. The result is this picture. I have made many more photo’s with loads of other assistants, even with Dmitrijs himself a little later in the week. And not to forget the really early morning shoot with Laura the flower girl who was in charge of arranging al the flowers in the shape of Latvia during the Independents day celebrating where I landed in between the press photographers and made some really close shots of the president of Latvia and later on the day I walked into the flower girl which was a my enthusiastic assistant during the last morning
Riga was a welcome treat again! Paldies!(Thanks)
 

My five cities crossing journey started in Helsinki from where I will be traveling through the Baltic’s via Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius and finally ending this trip in Warsaw.
Helsinki is a city with air, space and you feel freedom and the people carry out that way of living. 
Thanks to Jelle, Elli and Kulmahuone who assisted me and gave me very pleasant accommodation and even a mountain bike to explore more as only the city itself. Of course i also mary extensive use of the Finnish sauna!

And this is Perfect Pretty Prague! City number 18 in the Crossing series.
Is it a coincidence 3 people drinking Pilsner (beer) on the streets?
The name Pils/Pilsener comes from the city Plzeň in Czech Republic.
This in on de corner of the The Charles Bridge (Karlův most), Karlova and Křižovnická street.
Thank you Irina Z, Irina 2, Iede Reckman, Frano Prochazka and Ondra for all your dedicated assistance and accommodation and a pleasant time.
D’ekuji !!!

And so this is Valletta when it it busy which was difficult to find since there are hardly driving cars in the Capital City and there was only 1 traffic light and 3 zebra crossings and those where never chaotic enough.
Thanks Karl Aquilina for you help and thanks Mafiosi guy,( I was not really scared of your threats but I won’t use the picture where you negotiate). Funny thing is what I heard yesterday in the news. Valletta is the safest City in Europe concerning unnatural deaths and murders. Nice news at last. Malta is wonderful!

http://www.vreemdnieuws.com/tag/valletta/

Lisbon is up and down, what a hills, but what a different city again. No sign of depression there, at least not out in the open.
Everywhere in Europe I’m amazed with friendliness. The sun was a summer like dip into the spring as well, and the Pasteis de Natam, those gorgeous custard tarts that are a Portuguese delight, so only good words for Lisbon.

And all those assistants made it a very pleasant stay to. Thanks Daan, Bernard Jorik and the local helpers Bernardo, Ana and Eduarda from the Bellas Artes art school.

Malta is Upcoming.

It is spring now but what did the winter bring me a stunning Reykjavik in the snow.

Budapest was a pleasure! Thanks to the great assistance and guidance of Zoltan! And despite of the cold there was only a little bit of snow but it never made it till the afternoon. The hunt continues.
Hungary is in the news since they wanted to change the constitution and since Hungary wanted to change the press freedom.
My focus was on the people on the streets and Budapest Keleti train station took me a minute to become my favorite environment.

A Christmas in Oslo without snow but with some 15 minutes of sun.

Rome 3 weeks after Berlusconi resigned and in the middle of a EUropean crisis. 
Thanks to all my followers and supporters I made it already to city nr. 12
Europe is in the news all over, a better timing for Crossing Europe couldn’t be made.

Yesterday was announced:  Croatia is given the go-ahead to become the 28th member state of the European Union on July 1^st. 

And here is Athens just before Papandreou stepped out.

And 10 Cities done, 30 Cities to go! You were great to us Stockholm.  And off we go to….
Tack så mycket 

And off we go to…. Ankara, Athens, Oslo or Prague or Rome ….

How typical. Rain in Dublin!
Thanks to Bart for his great assistance.

Crossing had a Kick Off. This is al thankfully to the 100% funding on Voordekunst.nl
The project is on the move now. From next week I will be shooting in Copenhagen and Stockholm, with the Camper as a comfortable home. 
Oslo will be skipped for now. I will be back there in real wintertime. 

Attention, Who knows an well willing photo-assitant  in Stockholm? Write me an email if you know someone please. info@poike.nl