Category Archives: Travel

De-Escalation Dog

Zur deutschen Fassung dieser Beobachtung. On my travels around the world, I like to attend protests. Especially when I find the demands of the people worthy of my support. But even when not, protests or even revolutions are an excellent … Continue reading

Posted in Bolivia, Politics, Travel | Tagged | 5 Comments

Finding myself in Maugham

One and a half winters ago, on a cold day in Calgary, I found a treasure trove of books by the side of the road. I walked home, through ice and snow and wind, with three little gems by William … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Life, Travel | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Marienbad Eulogy

Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. It seems that the Corona virus will impede long-distance travel for quite a while. In that time of need, maybe we’ll finally discover what has always been so close. Writing for an international audience, it’s … Continue reading

Posted in Czech Republic, History, Music, Photography, Travel | Tagged , , | 23 Comments

Message in a Bottle (from the Azores)

Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. If you are stuck on an island in the Atlantic Ocean long enough, stories of Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne and Astrid Lindgren come to mind. Especially when the mail boat apparently don’t sail, because … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, Photography, Portugal, Travel | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

The End of the World

Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. Fim do Mundo, the end of the world, nothing more than a self-mocking name for a bar in a small village on a small island. One might think. If one didn’t know that in Norte … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, Photography, Portugal, Travel | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Romantic Idea and Prosaic Reality

Zur deutschen Fassung. When I got the assignment in the Azores, I immediately started searching for a passage on a ship to reach the far-away island by more adventurous and romantic means than by plane. I searched in vain. But … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, Portugal, Travel | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Fan Mail: “Offensive Articles”

There are blogs where all the comments read “you are so right”, “totally agree!” and “you are beautiful”. Those are boring blogs. I am not unhappy about compliments, especially about my writing, but if there were no dissenting voices, I … Continue reading

Posted in Azerbaijan, Philosophy, Travel | Tagged | 1 Comment

Flight to Horta

Zur deutschen Fassung dieser Geschichte. On the plane to the island of Faial, I notice that many people have brought thick books with them. An island seems to be a good place to read, and I wonder why people, if … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, History, Portugal, Technology, Travel | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Return to Normality

Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. We can go into town again. The barrier tapes have been removed from the parks, as if the crime scene has been cleaned up. The doors of the shops are wide open. Some of them … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, Photography, Portugal, Travel | Tagged | 20 Comments

How I got a Facemask on the Azores

Zur deutschen Fassung dieser Geschichte. When I flew to the Azores from Lisbon on I-don’t-remember-exactly-but-some-time-in-the-beginning-of-March, there was this person at the airport who was probably just snickering disparagingly about people with facemasks. And maybe eating a Snickers bar under the … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, Portugal, Travel | Tagged , | 21 Comments