Tag Archives: Health

One Hundred Years Ago, Sweden almost gave up on Booze – August 1922: Prohibition Referendum

Zur deutschen Fassung. Before I went to Sweden last summer, I received a lot of well-meaning advice from friends in Germany who had already been to Scandinavia: “Take enough beer with you, it’s prohibitively expensive in Sweden!” “As an EU … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, History, Politics, Sweden | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

One Hundred Years Ago, Sweden set out to Create a New Man – January 1922: Eugenics

Zur deutschen Fassung. So, what are your resolutions for the new year? Drink less, eat more, go to bed earlier, forward this blog to some friends? These are all good resolutions, for sure, but they’re a bit modest. Look at … Continue reading

Posted in History, Human Rights, Philosophy, Sweden | Tagged , , | 6 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 , , | 17 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

German Supreme Court approves anti-Corona measures – for now

The German Supreme Court, or Federal Constitutional Court, to translate its name literally, has approved the anti-Corona measures. At least for the time being. The measures to fight the pandemic in Germany are not the strictest in Europe. For example, … Continue reading

Posted in German Law, Germany, Human Rights, Law | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Flowery Warnings on the Flower Islands

Diesen Artikel gibt es natürlich auch auf Deutsch. Einfach hier klicken. The Azores are also known as the Flower Islands, probably because belladonna lilies, bougainvillea, hydrangea, crane flowers, agapanthus, goldenrods and hibiscus are everywhere. But the language is at least as … Continue reading

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

Pico without Pico, but with Corona

Diesen Artikel gibt es natürlich auch auf Deutsch. Einfach hier klicken. Everyone coming to the island of Pico wants to climb Mount Pico. Of course. It’s the highest mountain on the island. The highest peak of the Azores, even. Oh, … Continue reading

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

What does the Corona Virus mean for Tourism?

It’s no surprise that a rapidly spreading and rather lethal virus wouldn’t be conducive to tourism. Not enough people were considering the option of using travel as a way to get to safety. Too many believe – often erroneously – … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, Economics, Portugal, Travel | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Hitchhiking in the Time of Corona

Last week, when the Corona crisis really hit, I was on the island of Pico, part of the Azores, in the middle of the Atlantic. There are only two bus routes, each going twice a day, which was not enough. … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, Portugal, Travel, Video Blog | Tagged , , | 28 Comments

Escaping the Corona Virus – to an Island in the Middle of the Atlantic

Seriously, folks, that Corona virus is getting out of hand. Every day now, it’s crawling or rather racing closer. And people are crazy enough to still go to work or celebrate carnival – all of it without washing their bloody … Continue reading

Posted in Azores, Portugal, Travel | Tagged , , | 29 Comments