I hadn't been in Sweden for one hour and I found myself sitting in the back of a police van, bicycle and all. Now, I am normally not that much of an outlaw but this time I had decided to buck all Swedish rules against riding on the freeway, when I got picked up by one of the cops. It turned out that Stockholm's international airport was a good forty five kilometers from the city itself, a perfect distance to put my airplane cramped legs to good … [Read more...]
Finland has no Fjords
October 17, 2002 The advantage of freezing weather is that foods like milk, cheese, and meats don't go bad when they're stuffed in the panniers (the saddlebags) of a bicycle. It also seems to slow the rotting of fruits and vegetables. And drinking water is always refreshingly cold. The disadvantages, however, are that the bicycle chain seems stiffer and more resistant to pedaling no matter how much lubrication it gets. The camera's film … [Read more...]
Bringing Europe Home
July 16, 2004 Gutten tag! Hello friends! Greetings from the Viennese Internet cafe! I just returned from paying my respects to some of the great classical composers of our time! Some people make pilgrimages to Rome or Mecca, but I pay homage to people like Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, and Strauss. Standing before all of them lined in a circle around me felt like a religious experience. I only wish I had the power to bring them all back to … [Read more...]
La Gomera
La Gomera: Island of whistling wind and whistling people. La Gomera, the second smallest of the Canarian Islands, is an island rich in culture, food and history. Some travelers believe that the nearly perfect round shape of the island helps to concentrate a lot of positive energy in this place. Whether this is true or just a cross between Chinese "Feng-Shui" and "New Age Beliefs" doesn't really matter. What really matters though, is that La … [Read more...]
Let your Vacation Bloom in Amsterdam!
Ah yes, Amsterdam - the city of tulips, the city of blooming festivals of color and fragrance in the springtime. However, when you travel to Amsterdam, you'll also find a teeming center of finance and culture, rivaling other European capitals. Begun as a tiny fishing village about 1200 AD, Amsterdam has grown into the capital of the Netherlands, the country that is still, today, called "Holland" by many tourists unfamiliar with the fact that … [Read more...]
Italy
When I was young, I once asked my mother where paradise was located. She told me that it was not a specific place but rather a place that is spectacular according to oneself. I did not realize that paradise was essentially one's own ideal part of the world. At the age of 18, I was able to see my paradise. I had been looking forward to this trip for an entire year prior to graduating high school. When the day finally arrived, off I went, a little … [Read more...]
Mt. Pelister
This article is about one of the most beautiful mountains on the Balkan Peninsula, Mount Pelister. This is not only my opinion, but of many people who came here and have visited Pelister, even the Gods. I heard a legend on television a few days ago - it said: The Gods asked Zeus why he settled at Mount Olimpus when there is a much more beautiful mountain to the north. Zeus became angry and decided to marry Pelister with Baba Mountain (baba means … [Read more...]
Royals Put Malta Back on Map
For a Mediterranean island with good year round weather, a friendly local English speaking population and facilities to rival that of any of her competitors, Malta is a surprisingly often forgotten island for many people planning a holiday in the Mediterranean. Malta missed some of her own government's tourist targets in 2005, but a recent visit by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh resulted in four days of positive media coverage … [Read more...]
Palma
Summer time brings a Philippe Starck-designed hotel bringing Palma's Old Town back into the limelight. The capital of the Spanish island of Majorca it now overshadows the beach resorts. Palma ranks among most sought-after European weekend destinations partly due to the affordable renaissance flights from Europe. Palma's resurgence is credited to the revival of the historic center with cobbled streets, stone palaces, quaint plazas and Gothic … [Read more...]
Moscow
My sister had been working with a charity organization in Moscow, Russia for several years. Throughout that time we had been corresponding with her by mail and were fascinated with her tales and interesting stories and experiences in Moscow! It was at that time, to our surprise, she sent a message to my mother inviting us to come and help with some of the projects she was working on. After several months of preparation we were off to embark on … [Read more...]