Russia Nixon challenge 2014

First of all, i think this is one of the best time of the year for me.
Nixon challenge , crew and the surfers team are a true cultural exchange.
We come from many countries and talking different languages.
Have stories to update and we all on Nixon new destination every year.
We go for surf , have fun between friends and try the best of our surf with this amazing atmosphere.
This year destination is Kamchatka Peninsula.
We all had a some crazy connection flights to get there.
As i post before my first stop was Amsterdam.After i had another one in Moscow.
I got there 4:30 am .My credit card never work and i was thinking stay 12 hours on the airport alone.
Had some Reais from my last trip in Brazil and change on some horrible rating.
Got a message from one of the crew organizer saying all other coming that day.
The whole crew finished going to the red square before the late connection flight.
I felt been in a intense historical place.

RED SQUARE

photo: Laurel

when we arrive we all trip cause as soon as you leave the plane you go straight to the car parking outside of the terminal.
And you need go through one door with your bag ticket to pick up the luggage.
Hotel first impact and city was a bit choking.Must of all outside construction are not finished and needing some fix.

Hotel

We all pack inside a big truck and left to the hour way to the beach o a very bad off road.

Truck house

city

Anton , the local, really took care of us.

The beach break was a long beach, with mountains view behind.Really fun for surf. breaking almost in the same time.

we had a small but consistent first day.

And way bigger and fun second one, that we all recognize we shouldn't never left the beach think will be better the next day with the off shore coming.

That really happened , but waves weren't solid 5 feet anymore, just an small 2/3 feet.

We camping that night on a minus 5 celsius. A night mark on everyone life's.

we all stay together, eating, drinking, sleeping, playing with ball, chess, quad...

Amazing time between friends.

elena the cook did some of the best plates and make our stay even better.

had fun surfng.Best wave i had was a fun barrel combo with a floater.

Brazilian Jiu-jistu adction

fresh Cod fish

morning iced board after the camping night

the truck has a heather inside, and after every session we all warmed up our body on surf 3 degrees celsius water temperature. And was the talking stories and laugh time.

beach view on the right

Sunset beach view behind

Salmon color show us how bad are the ones we eat back in home now.They have 15 different kind and Kepa Acero here bellow told me that june start the season.He learned that on his trip to Alaska( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty7rQTWUw6E ).Back there he even could get the salmon with his hand.He told me there is so many that the river became red.

kepa telling me stories

More links
:
http://magicseaweed.com/news/kamchatka-challenge-dispatch-2/6372/?page=20806

http://www.e-adrenaline.fr/eau/actualites/rendez-vous-en-terre-inconnue-le-nixon-surf-challenge-2014-debarque-en-russie/4080

2014 Nixon Challenge diary. Amsterdam connection flight

This year Nixon Challenge will be on a very new destination and on a very far part of Europe,or not Europe?

Will let you know soon as i did not get there yet.

I woke up at 2:15am last night.

Left home a bit sad to leave my two amazing babies sleeping with a bye bye kiss.

Left my car on this new Lisboa parking service.Kind a scary as the guy come pick up the car and leave somewhere.

KLM almost made me loose my flight.

I was thinking my boards were already on the booking and in the end i came up need to pay it.

Loosing a hour on line waiting and be the last person on the plane.Not sure my boards will make it.

Got in Amsterdam 9:00Am .

Very happy to be on a long wait here , cause not many city is that close to the airport and have such many thing to see and a charming city.

Left the beautiful  train station;

Supported by thousand pilars literally floating in the water.(view from boat trip).

Did not really have a plan, so went in line for information and saw a bunch of peoples buying the ticket for the boat trip and decided to do it.As i never did before.Must of the photos are from this trip.

Boat way goes for a big open channel where you can see a Movie museum and a cience musuem call Nemo, here below.

Petty much a place to visit with the kids, if you have some.

Before goe son the channels we saw a view that made think if i wasn't in Chine for a while .

Floating chinese restaurant.

And than you enter on Amsterdam heart and their 160 channels.Got this next 2 photos for show how short the bridges are and all this strong structure to hold every thing.

While cruising you can see a few of their 2500 houses on the channels and start to make feeling how romantic are live on a house like that.I just check if there is some for rent for a short term but did not find anything.As the boat captain told me after finish the trip as much she said is all salt water channels.

Pass by many channels.saw churchs , mayor house, ...

This amazing tower (photo bellow) from a ancient war and made on a beautiful cover on renaissance time and saw this days by tourist like me.

Jewish icon writer Anne Frank's house with a church behind(and a tourist head on the boat that i did not want to cut,haha)

Saw the justice building and a funny touch as on the top of the building i could see some vegetation mix with the normal construction .

Pass by the opera on the only one natural channel from Amsterdam, the Amsterdam river.

Finished by the station again and this funny decorated building.

Went straight rent a bike to cruise(Eric Rebiere facebook post for this Amsterdam journey).

Stop on this second hand shop.Something that i learned and start to like with my ex-wife.

Still many things to see in Amsterdam.

But as i only had a fews hours of sleep and went to the hotel have a rest.

Hope comebakc and see Van Gogh museum as much as Rembrandt or many other city amazing things to do.

Had a really nice sald on this conner called "stout".Bring back the bike by the station on Macbike and my day was over it.