Daily Account of Trip

New Images

Take a look at Radkin images pending exhibition in 2005. Posted: 23:52 Wednesday, March 23 (GMT +1)

Webcam Clips

Josey Walker's webcam footage is up! Have fun and enjoy the distortion...

Go to webcam clips. Posted: 11:16 Wednesday, March 23 (GMT +1)

Return to Budapest and retiring of the 'Portrait of a Hockey Player' sweater.

The trip was nothing short of amazing. Really.

Postings have been sporadic due to such a hectic schedule - thank you for your patience and understanding. Over the next few days before heading to Portugal for another project, I will be posting overdue stories and images.

I never would have thought this trip would bring hockey players and fans so close together. Thank all of you for your love of the sport and taking the time to talk to Radkin and Josey Walker about why.

Keep checking in. See you here soon.

Day 11 - Sunday, March 20

Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro at Canadian Residence - 09:00

Donald & Judy McLennan
Canadian Ambassador to Serbia & Montenegro
Age 59
Says, "Win together, lose together, have fun together."
Plays defence.
Has played for 54 years.

Q. Have you played organised hockey before?
A. In 1965-66 I played house league at Laval University. It was called, "La league des poires."

Q. How important is hockey to Canada?
A. In 1972, when game 8 of the Summit Series was played, Canada completely shut down and of the 20 million Canadians at that time, 14 million watched.

Q. During our conversation over the weekend, you've mentioned several interesting points about how much hockey is part of Canadian culture, would you tell us one of them?
A. In 1984 when the first Canadian astronaut, Marc Garneau, entered space he took a hockey stick and a puck. To the best of my knowledge, Mr. Garneau was not even a hockey player.

Q. Donald, you have agreed to play on the Warszawa Canadians tonight. Are you looking forward to the game?
A. More than you could know. This is the first time I have ever played a proper game with the actual maple leaf on my sweater.

Game 3: Warszawa Canadians 8 - Novi Sad 3

Get the full story on Day 11 and game results here.

Day 10 - Saturday, March 19

Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro at Canadian Residence - 09:00

We wake to kitchen smells somehow powerful enough to supress sweaty hockey bag contents in the downstairs corridor. A wonderful buffet and delicious shake drink await us before heading into town for a city tour lead by Donald himself.

During our informative walk I manage to get a photo of each player on the Warszawa Canadians to accompany short individual interviews soon to be posted on Day 10.

Game 2: Beograd 2 - Warszawa Canadians 1

Get the full story on Day 10 and game results here.

Day 9 - Friday, March 18

Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro - 08:30

Top left to right: Robert Longworth, Richard Adkin, Connolly Aziz, Paul Kamondy, Coach Breckon
Bottom left to right: Cezary Tracz, Reno De Paoli, Michael Nieman, Tom Kowalski, Verko, Michael Wall
Missing but to arrive Saturday: Dave 'Killer' Thomaes, Travis Wetzlaugk
Photo: Josey Walker

Game 1: Warszawa Canadians 7 - Belgrade (Team 2) 0

Amazing things are happening. A wonderful reception by Ambassador Donald McLennan, the Canadian Residence staff, and the host hockey team Beograd.

The weekend is just beginning...

Get the full story on Day 9 and game results here.

Day 8 - Thursday, March 17

László Borbély
45 years old
Home Budapest, Hungary
Says, "You have to love the game to play."
Plays all positions.
Has played for 35 years.

Q. How popular is hockey in Hungary?
A. It is gradually becoming more popular as more arenas and small surfaces are built. There is now a demand for hockey, but it is still very expensive for your average income family ($600 - $700 USD per month)

Q. How much is icetime per hour?
A. $80 USD in some of the older arenas, and $150 - $175 in the newer ones.

Q. László, you and I go back about 8 years playing hockey together in Budapest. Tell me, what is your most memorable moment in those 8 years.
A. If you remember, it was raining and we were to play roller hockey near Petofi Bridge but couldn't find a dry place. We then found that old dimly lit underpass where the uneven ground was full of holes and set between graffitied walls, but it was dry. We played some of the most enjoyable hockey I've ever experienced.

Q. What about hockey do you love most?
A. Good team play, when passes are made to tape and everyone participates. There is nothing that is more satisfying.

Get the full story on Day 8.

Day 7.5 - Wednesday, March 16

A personal friend of mine, Josh Sittler, North Bay, Ontario native, calls in and tells us a few things about himself and his love for hockey:

Josh Sittler
12 years old
Home North Bay, Ontario, Canada
Says, "If you can't stop, you can use snow banks."
Plays goalie.
Has played for 6 years.

Q. Why did you start playing hockey?
A. Because I love the NHL, all my friends were playing and I didn’t want to be left out.

Q. What positions have you played?
A. I have always played goalie in house league, but I still enjoy playing forward on the lake where the competition (my Dad) isn’t quite so fierce.

Q. How long have you played?
A. I was playing on the lake since I was 6. Because I didn’t know how to stop, I used the snow banks. After 1 season of skating lessons, I joined the local house league at 10 years old.

Q. What is your favourite number?
A. 12.

- Photograph: Courtesy of Justin & Nicole; Interview: Trisha Adkin

Day 7 - Tuesday, March 15

On the road - 09:00 - 02:30

1,500 km and 17.5 hours of driving between Kaunus and Budapest. Note the scene of the accident 4 days later and the gas station 50 m away in the background. That is the last gas station for a good 30 - 40 km and what would have seemed like much more had we needed to walk or hitch-hike for help. We got the right bounces in that game!

Get the full story on Day 7.

Day 6 - Monday, March 14

Kaunus, Lithuania - 16:00

Raimundis Vaitkevicius
46 years old
Home Kaunus, Lithuania
Has always been a Team Canada fan.
Plays right wing.
Has played for 39 years.

Q. At which age did you make the Lithuanian National Hockey Team?
A. 16.

Q. Do you remember watching the '72 Summit Series between the Soviet Union and Canada?
A. A great series. I remember Canada was led to victory by hockey great Phil Espisito.

Q. What did you want to be when you were a child?
A. A Cosmonaut - laughs... Actually, I wanted to play hockey in Russia.

Q. What's your favourite play?
A. Coming around from behind the net and flipping the puck into the top right hand corner just under the crossbar.

Get the full story on Day 6.

Day 5 - Sunday, March 13

Tallinn, Estonia - 10:00

Left to right: Adam Kombe (13), Toivo Viinapuu (54)
Home Tallinn, Estonia
Toivo says, "Players must do well in school."
Adam plays left wing, Toivo coaches.
Adam has played for 1 year, Toivo has coached for 22 years.

Q. How many players are there in Estonia?
A. 1,000. Approximately 70 of those players are girls.

Q. Is equipment expensive?
A. Very expensive. The average monthly salary in Estonia is $600 Canadian dollars.

Q. Two Canadian hockey coaches were here a few years ago, what advice did they offer?
A. Estonian coaches must work together.

Q. Adam, have you scored a goal?
A. Altogether 4. Two weeks ago I got a hat trick.

Get the full story on Day 5.

Day 4 - Saturday, March 12

Riga, Latvia - 11:00

Matiss Freibergs
23 years old
Home Riga, Latvia
Says, "Keep your head up. Watch their eyes."
Plays defence.
Has played for 17 years.

Q. What's the name of your league?
A. Amateur Super League.

Q. What's your favourite part in being a defenceman?
A. I get to knock the big guy down.

Q. Describe your most exciting moment in hockey.
A. I cried with tears of pride when Latvia beat Russia for the first time in Germany, 2001. Everybody cried.

Q. As a player, which rule or code do you hold most important?
A. Clean play, fair play.

Get the full story on Day 4.

Day 3 - Friday, March 11

Warsaw, Poland - 09:00

Left to right: Natasha (14), Julie (10), Richard (44), Niels (6) Gintowt
Home Warsaw, Poland
They have a rink in the backyard.
All are hockey players.
They listen to 'The good ol' hockey game' through an open basement window while playing.

Q. Natasha, tell me about your most exciting moment on the ice.
A. Scoring on my first boyfriend.

Q. Julie, why did you start playing hockey?
A. So I could knock boys down on the ice.

Q. Richard, do you remember the 1972 summit series?
A. I have them all on my hard drive - every single game. Hey, I've also got Slap Shot on video and Stompin' Tom blasting out the back window...

Q. Niels, which part of the game do you like most?
A. Scoring goals but I haven't scored my first goal yet.

Get the full story on Day 3.

Day 2 - Thursday, March 10

We wake up. I write. Josey drives. We sew our maple leaves and Canadian flags onto our hockey sweaters in a roadside diner just inside the Polish border. We meet someone with relatives in London, ON. We see Polski Fiat after Polski Fiat. We also decide to hit Krakow on the way back.

See pictures of Polski Fiats on Day 2.

Day 1 - Wednesday, March 9

Bratislava, Slovakia - 09:00

Frantisek Hejcik
54 years old
Home Bratislava, Slovakia
Says, "The pass is a way to communicate on the ice."
Ice Hockey Trainer
Has been a trainer for 25 years.

Q. What inspired you to become a hockey trainer?
A. I was approaching the end of my career as a player and simply could not bear the thought of losing hockey.

Q. What is your favourite part of the game?
A. A very close game in the dying minutes. Then scoring.

Q. Describe one of your best moments in hockey.
A. A 32 year old German player of mine approached me in the dressing room after winning the season and said, "Frank, I haven't been 1st in anything my entire life. Now, I have. Thank you."

Q. What rule or code do you emphasize most to your players?
A. Play more sports than hockey for physical flexibility, play in each position on the ice for metal awareness, and learn to be fair to one another.

Get the full story on Day 1.

Day 1, afternoon

Zlin, Czech Republic - 16:00

Martin Kert
5 years old
Home Zlin, Czech Republic
Hockey is Martin's favourite sport.
Martin is currently learning the fundamentals of the sport.
We spoke to Martin's father Pavel while watching Martin and his teammates chase the trainer between the goal and blue lines:

Q. How often does Martin see icetime?
A. A few times per week.

Q. How important is hockey to the Czech Republic?
A. Very important. A hockey mentality is the same as the Czech mentality - hard and technical.

Q. I see the kids don't have sticks in their hands, why is that?
A. Czech kids don't see a stick or the puck for the first two years of training, they must first develop their ability to skate.

Q. Does Martin like playing?
A. Yes he does, just like all of the other kids you see here.

Get the full story on Day 1.

Day 0 - Tuesday, March 8

Even before we embark on Day 1 of the journey, hockey player Jacob Stark calls in from USA to tell Uncle Josey a few things about himself:

Jacob Stark
11 years old
Home Portland Oregon, USA
Started playing because friends were playing and wanted to play with them.
Plays Center/Forward
Has played for 3 years.

Q.- What does it feel like to score?
A.- Great. You're real happy, excited for you and your team.

Q.- Are you the best scorer on your team?
A.- No

Q.- Have you ever been to a hockey game?
A.- Yes

Q.- What did you like about it?
A.- We got popcorn. The whole family was there. We also got t-shirts.

- Photograph: Courtesy of Stark Family; Interview: Josey Walker