Tehran Grand Bazaar
The word “bazaar” has its roots in the Persian language, so it seems almost logical the that the world’s biggest market is the Grand Bazaar of Tehran (Iran). While being big, influential and full of history, buldings rarely exceed the age of 400 years, which makes it one of the newest in the Middle East. [...]
Church under Construction
Wow. Who among Catholics would have thought a few months ago that this years’ Easter celebration would come with so many changes? Not only, that a new Pope took office, but Pope Francis doesn’t stop surprising the world. Yesterday he personally washed the feet of prisoners of different religious backgrounds among them also two women. Judging based [...]
Jogando Capoeira
If you read about capoeira, you inevitably make a journey through Brazilian history. Origins of the martial art lie in Angola, from where traditions were shipped across the Atlantic ocean along with countless African slaves. In their hostile environment slaves would say they were dancing when a colonist came along but really they were practicing [...]
Touch the Sky in Dubai
Construction started in September 2004 and images of its spectacular inauguration in January 2010 – at the hight of the global financial crisis – went around the world: The Burj Khalifa in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). It’s a skyscraper of countless superlatives: with 829.8 m it is the by far tallest structure ever built, the building with most floors, [...]
Gangnam Style Coffee
End of last year I have been to Seoul (South Korea). It is definitely a different world where everyone seems to work two times more than in most other countries I have been to. “Everybody” seems to be applicable to many things there, at least at the first glance. For example everybody seems to have a [...]
The Lemmings of Teotihuacán
I am sure you remember the Lemmings video game. It was originally developed for the Comodore Amiga but in case you don’t know what I am talking about, you can play it online here. Anyway, I had to think of the marching green-haired creatures when I saw the masses of tourists roaming through the vast area of Teotihuacán, [...]
School Bus Yellow
School buses are not just yellow, they are “school bus yellow”. In 1939, the color was formulated especially for school buses in North America. However, not only the color was the topic of discussion; altogether 44 different standards were defined. From height to lengths, from aisle width to lighting – teachers would be proud of the [...]
Oktoberfest 2012 – same old, same old
Yes, beer is surely the main highlight of the Oktoberfest in Munich (Germany). Locals and tourists from around the world eagerly await the first barrel to be tapped by the major (see post from one year ago). But the grounds of the Theresienwiese where Oktoberfest is held, is actually divided into two major parts: The beer [...]
On the Right Track
On the weekend I drove up the mountains of Musandam (Oman). Incredibly hot and steep roads which can only be mastered by a 4WD; turns like the one you see and you better don’t miss. While I took the photo of this sign with its obvious message I wondered why, with all the diversity around [...]
The Bulls of Barretos
Barretos (Brazil) is a small town in the northern part of the state of Sao Paulo. Founded in 1854, with currently about 100,000 inhabitants it would probably have stayed a rather insignificant rural town if it wasn’t for 20 young men. In 1955, sitting in a bar they founded the group “Os Independents”. Whoever wanted to join [...]
Eid Mubarak
In a few hours, Muslims around the world enjoy one of two major holidays: Eid al-Fitr – the celebration marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Families and friends get together to thank God for the gift of fasting, in which they avoided food & drink from dawn to dusk. The best clothes are worn, presents [...]
(Everyone Is) One of a Kind
Isn’t it funny – on one hand, we learn in very early years of our lives that every single person in the world is unique. It still impresses me that there are not two people on this planet who have the same finger prints. We are taught to cherish the differences in character, humor, thoughts, [...]
Monk Is Watching You
It doesn’t matter whether you travel in Thailand, Burma, China, Nepal or the northern parts of India – wherever Buddhism is practiced, you will pass monasteries where sometimes thousands of novices and monks live and study. Previously, these monasteries were the only educational institutions with the main task to preserve and practice the teachings of Buddha. Meditation, [...]
3 Memories of Bogota
Two weeks back I have been to Bogota (Colombia). It’s a fascinating city and as I only had a vague and maybe distorted imagination of the place, it was a place full of surprises. Here three of the many I took as memories with me: 1) You may know that Bogota is located on very [...]
House No. 445, Nakuru (Kenya)
If you ever pass through Nakuru (Kenya) – be it to visit the nearby National Park or on your way to the north western part of the country – colorfully painted homes will put a smile on your face. An entire settlement has individually painted the street-facing parts of all buildings. Each single house is a piece [...]
Beyond the Clouds
For a big part of last week, this is how I saw the world: from above. Dubai-Washington D.C.- Dallas and the same route back within 7 days is definitely not a usual week. When I was flying over this beautiful carpet of clouds I wondered how they form. After a bit of reading: the ones [...]
Business as Usual in Brockenhurst
Last week, Wednesday late night in Brockenhurst (England): business as usual. I am sure you’ve already experienced the same. While you travel your path crosses a place which you didn’t plan to go to. Actually, you had never heard of it and if someone would have offered you a bet whether you would ever spend [...]
Illumination
Today’s story is about the illumination of the statue “Christ the Redeemer” in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). But the main protagonist is the Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi. Born in 1824, Nobel Prize in Physics winner in 1909, he is often credited as the inventor of radio. In 1914 he became a Senator in Italy, in 1937 he died. [...]
KL as in Kuala Lumpur
Is it only me or do you also like the sound of the word “Kuala Lumpur”? It gives kind of a mystical impression, maybe like Mandalay or Marrakech. I spent the last week there and learned that the name of the capital originates from the Malayan meaning “muddy river”. So much for that mystical part… It [...]
5 Reasons why Riyadh is not Rio
You are looking at the Kingdom Tower in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Work takes me there every now and then and this beautiful building, which by the way is one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, is one of the few things I always look forward to seeing again. Otherwise, it’s probably only the fact [...]
Good Friday
Two weeks back I have been in Germany and spent a magnificent time in Thueringen (one of the 16 states of the country). The photo shows the main portal of one of the many churches in Muehlhausen (Germany). The town is right at the center of the country and a surprisingly high number of “celebrities” [...]
Finding Nemo
My brothers wedding brought me to Mallorca (Spain) last year. What a beautiful place! People have lived on the tiny island in the Mediterranean Sea since about 5000 BC. Romans conquered it and Arabs influenced the unique Mallorquin culture. People came and went again. Today this mostly describes the masses of tourists. Last year more than [...]
Africa Goes Mobile
Every fifth person on earth lives in Africa, the continent that is going mobile in a speed which lets the others look like turtles. Already today there are more than 640 million mobile phone users in Africa – more than in Europe or North America. Paying with mobile money has been completely normal to Kenyans for [...]
Egypt – One Year Later
The French Revolution lasted around ten years (1789-1799), the American Civil War took four years to end (1861-1865), the freedom fight in India started in 1857 and led to the independence from the British Rule almost one hundred years later (1947). Is the world too impatient when it comes to the developments in Egypt? Last [...]
