Tag Archives: cigars

Marienbad Eulogy

Posted on 2020-05-30 by

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, Health, History, Music, Photography, Travel | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Uman: Communism or Cheesy Story?

Posted on 2020-01-17 by

There is really no reason to visit Uman. It is a small city like hundreds of others in Ukraine. But because it lies halfway between Kyiv and Odessa, I decided to break the journey and to spend a day and … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Photography, Travel, Ukraine | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Our Prisoner of War

Posted on 2019-11-29 by

Recently, I stayed with my father in Bavaria, where life is informal and one can put the feet on the table and smoke inside the house. We were both preoccupied with reading, my father with the newspaper and me with … Continue reading →

Posted in Germany, History, Military, Russia, Travel, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Random Thoughts (24)

Posted on 2019-03-08 by

Good news: the days are getting longer. Unless you live in the Southern hemisphere, then you are doomed to darkness. And unless you live on the equator, in which case you are missing out on something fabulous. My sister asked … Continue reading →

Posted in Austria, Books, Brazil, Canada, Economics, Elections, Facebook, Feminism, Germany, Iran, Language, Politics, Religion, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Travel, UK, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

At the Cigar Shop – 50 Years later

Posted on 2018-10-12 by

I had gone to Huéscar for market day, thinking I might as well look for my favorite Spanish newspaper, El Pais. It would find it at the tobacco shop, I was told. As I entered the store, just around the … Continue reading →

Posted in Andalusia, Fiction, Films, Music, Photography, Spain, Travel, Video Blog | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

My house in Colombia

Posted on 2017-04-22 by

Bogotá is actually quite green for a large city, but I wanted only nature, without the city. So I rented a little house north of Colombia’s capital, which I reached on smaller and smaller roads, shared with a surprising number … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Colombia, Photography, Travel | Tagged , | 35 Comments

Random Thoughts (11)

Posted on 2017-04-13 by

Mohammad Mostafaei, the lawyer with whom I was arrested in Iran, has written a book. He says I am in it too, but I can’t read Norwegian, so I have to wait for a translation. Does anyone still remember José Echegaray … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Elections, France, Health, History, Human Rights, Iran, Language, Law, Mexico, Military, Politics, Sports, Statistics, Travel, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

10,000 boxes of cigars

Posted on 2017-03-18 by

When General Ulysses Grant was described by newspapers as smoking cigars during the Battle at Fort Donelson in Tennessee in 1862, admirers from around the country sent him more than 10,000 boxes of cigars for further use. He later said: I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, History, USA | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The worst year for human health

Posted on 2016-10-21 by

1492 must have been the worst year for human health. Latin Americans got deadly diseases, alcohol and bacon. Europeans got diarrhea, chocolate and tobacco.

Posted in Health, History | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A Humidor for the Poor

Posted on 2016-10-20 by

Among us connoisseurs: a fridge is just as good. I learnt this from the store in Cochabamba where I regularly bought cheap (probably because they weren’t quite authentic) Cohibas. They stored the box with cigars on top of the beer … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Health | Tagged , , | Leave a comment