Friday, 29 May 2015

St.Petersburg travel in summer

Not for everyone is to be photographed, right after waking up on the way to the morning shower. But who wants to feel even as object of photographic desire, or has at least no problem, I can recommend without reservation the location hostel. Project I recommend anyone who visits St.Petersburg and has a penchant for architecture, art or good coffee the Etagi loft. But you come in the morning, since the inhabitants look funnier.
Now it is so far. We have hardly left the familiar realm of the EU, the first problems arise promptly. Nothing that we successfully got away from the world, but it will slowly seriously. Here in Russia, for the first time some more attention, imagination, and gestikulatives skill is needed.
First of all, we owe a small supplement our readership about our first appearance in St.Petersburg. Night driven by and without sleep, but with a lot of back pain, the bus spewed out morning us Centre in St.Petersburg to 7 h. Quickly, Jochen had checked our site and the next steps (say Metro to the hostel). I let him, because at least he found sleeping while driving an hour.
So off to the Metro. I already had a few rubles in his pocket like with Ferry Liverpool Dublin Boat and ordered us the Metro coins. Not using correct Russian language scraps, still reasonably confident, but there should be enough. Armed with bag and baggage, we strove through the bottleneck at the inlet to the station. With urbane serenity, I pushed my coin in the device of the machine and squeezed me with some effort through the turnstile.
Arrived on the other side, I was driving along. A shrill beep sound drove me through leg. I contacted along with luggage and saw stuck Jochen in the turnstile. Stubborn, he tried to achieve but admitted to Metro, the louder the siren wailing. Not good. Jacobs look revealed that he was poised to change his mood from despair to panic. I asked about the problem, got only a helpless shrug. Coin swallowed, access is denied. Stupid started.
What to do? A nice Russian passer-by tried the problem to identify, assured in a Russian torrent of speech that he have no idea what is. So we have derived at least the us, after still did nothing. Aside from the penetrating whistles.
What was already part on the already frayed nerves, have to let cold apparently an observer of the whole scene. Not ten metres away was a uniform which staring holes in Jacobs backpack which he had from offer Ferry Liverpool Belfast with stoic look. No emotion, no indication that he would be willing to help. Only the views in the void.




Wednesday, 6 May 2015

Architecture in Asia

One reason we have done so, because there are so many people that is simply because there are more and more and because everyone just needs a few square meters for themselves. Point.And why not ? And now there is a lot of intuition opinion, ie by mere sight it without intervention of any systematic analysis considers generated :For example, much is newly built, just because everything is fairly new, rapidly grows old. And the more rapidly is old, the more must be built rapidly again with cheap Ferry Cairnryan Belfast. Why ? I guess at the house where we now at le
ast one year (until the construction sites came from) have lived happily. Neo-classical design, fashion jewelry couple columns with classical capitals, four-meter ceiling height with behavioral ornamented stucco ceiling. Wooden lattice windows, natural stone flooring, spiral staircase railings, säulchenbewehrte terraces and balcony balustrades, Berlin each teacher couple with anti-nuclear and peace dove sticker story on the espresso machine from Saeco came into the boundless raptures on cheap Ferry Dublin Holyhead.
But the whole does not come as one might think from the heart of the colonial era but is just five years old. Around the corner, such a house has just been finished, the architectural drawings must be from the twenties. So these things are all fairly new, but if you're in the corner, or wherever looks at the ceiling or on the infrastructure, everything looks pretty old. This rapid aging is probably - sorry love Archtekturhistoriker, rehabilitation experts, urban planners - in these unique environmental conditions. First, it is too hot and too humid secondly, thirdly, of course, is why no one understands why people could ever get the idea there to settle in the delta of the Red River with cheap Ferry Cairnryan Larne.
The but you can only really understand if you do not study the climate map, but once experienced such a complete Hanoi in the summer only. Basically from mid-April the temperatures drop does not like to look under thirty degrees (even at night) and the humidity level remains - getting to the skin - like well over 60 %.
With some outliers up - does that mean temperatures above 36 degrees and about 75 % - but only the gracious 28 degrees remains until sometime in October, a kind of fall begins, where it is still moist, warm. In winter it is rarely cold, but it can also rain at just over ten degree days in moist clouds of dust or drizzle. In contrast, simply protects garnix, everything is wet, cold and moldy like to go unchecked when things get warmer.
I measure the weather like at the reaction of my dogs - we have brought three long-haired dogs with hats to Hanoi three years ago. Avoid the following summer, shortly after getting through our huge garden ( about 100 square crammed with flower pots ) - to run to pee next to the pot and look at me with pity, I know. One need not be voluntary outside, but only if it does just no other way.



Saturday, 25 April 2015

Cruise trip to Burma

That this has always been so in the history of the country, witnessed by the gigantic Stupafelder of Bagan and on Inlee Lake. Dry prairie grass, goats and earth Stupa, also as far as the eye reaches, large and small, dilapidated and magnificently gilded systems, we will visit one day here.
Previously, we have cycling through the north of the country, learn the simple, yet peaceful life of the Burmese know and love the Tannaka with painted faces of women, children and men. Would you prefer to no longer put away the camera and the Burmese like to be photographed and give it a smile that you will not soon forget on the cheap Ferry Dover Calais.
In Shan state, we make a detour to the boat and hike to a forest temple across fields with blooming sesame and past pineapple plantations. Fresh aromatic fruits make life for us here at a gourmet trip, everywhere on the road coconuts, pineapple and papaya are offered. In addition to the Mandalay city with many historical monuments, we get to know the capital Yangon. Here the seething traffic and here is also the center of Buddhism in this country. Together with thousands of Burmese we experience a sunset on the Shwedagon Pagoda, where nightly monks, pilgrims and tourists gather on Ferry Newcastle Amsterdam.
One of the interesting side trip is the way to Inlee Lake. We learn the height department Kalaw know and do a day hike to the mountain peoples of the region. The villages and the Inlee can be reached only by boat, houses on stilts, floating gardens and“ leg rowers“ made lake in the world famous, but impressive are here Stupafelder more or less well preserved, not to mention the in kakku, which was discovered only 20 years ago. To the hundreds of small stupa jingle bells in the wind and wonder if we walk through the field and admire the many architectural elements that adorn the stupa and cheap Ferry Dover Dunkirk.
I especially love this tour and look forward again to the warmest and friendliest people in the world and I hope that I can transfer my enthusiasm for the country and people, both in southern China and in Myanmar for you.
The name of the Tahitian Princess, which sailed under Princess Cruises for eight years, woke with many interested parties the impression that this ship is only in the South Seas. This impression is the ship that operates worldwide, not just. On the program are namely, among other things, a European tour, a 16-day journey from Singapore to Shanghai and cruises around the African continent. To mark the international use of the ship enough, it has now been renamed Ocean Princess.
The Ocean Princess is a rather smaller vessel with a height of 11 decks and a capacity of 670 passengers. Nevertheless, it is one of the jewels of the 17 ships comprehensive Princess fleet. This is also the also recently made two-week renovation of the 1999-built luxury liner in the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore. New addition to the name, a highly energy-efficient hull paint. In addition, the Ocean Princess got a new furniture and also walls and floors have been renovated.




Thursday, 16 April 2015

Summer Flights to Stockholm

Travel plans to continue taking money for seat reservations. Numbers to passengers who want to secure a desired place early, as the airline announced. The new system is therefore already this year.
" We have a seat reservation for consideration for an economy fares," said the head of Lufthansa's passenger division the trade magazine. The offer is for Economy those customers who want to secure before the official check-in space. So far, customers can select the best deal before departure class courses just inside the 23- hour check-in period.
The prices for the seat reservation in the market environment." On European routes 5-15 euro are often in competition due to long distance it may be up to 40 euros. The reservation will initially only via travel agency and in the second step are also available online.
In the First Class and Business Class customers could already choose the free parking ticket purchases, said a Lufthansa spokesman. Even frequent flyers in Economy Class this is already possible. With the new service, Lufthansa and Ferry Belfast Cairnryan schedule will respond to customer requests. Because of the competition is Germany's largest airline but also under intense cost pressure.
The tour operator allows guests to his German cheap brands Travel in future and pay an extra discount on food and drink. Them, but also the guests with a pure flight ticket airline the Group, are also likely to only take 15 kg without extra baggage allowance, such as announced in Hanover.
Of the coming summer excess baggage must be booked in advance, the customer must pay for meals on board. The situation is different for vacationers from which they booked their trip with the brands: You should continue to give 20 kg baggage allowance and are provided with free food and soft drinks on board of the Ferry Belfast Liverpool schedule.
It justified the decision with the results of a survey. Customer is a safer and cheaper flight important as an additional service. The new rates would arise price advantages of up to five percent. The new rules apply for bookings from 10th September for travel from 1 Held May 2014. For a surcharge, it also provides a convenient package with more elbow room, a fancier food and alcoholic beverages and a preferred boarding the plane or on Ferry Liverpool Belfast ireland.
Really perk it was when the question was asked for possible coalitions. He tried out several journalists demands, awkward to explain that he did not exclude "formal" alliance with the Left. Then he said that he was "fit for government neither the Union nor the left" think. "I did not quite understand now," said the left-candidate She made the SPD and the Greens offer that you will already act together when it rich in the choice for red-red-green - whether as a three-way coalition or as tolerated by the Left red-green alliance.





Thursday, 2 April 2015

Unesco City Trends

It's time. We are back home. But anyone who has followed our journey over the last 15 months , will know that this was not so painless as it sounds. Also on our last leg we still may experience little adventure. Juhu.

It was a great idea that peers had parents. From anticipation to the Son, and perhaps also to make sure that nothing goes wrong at the last minute , they picked us up in Le Havre. One night it was to bridge even before the reception committee would be arriving. This, we thought , we would certainly not be difficult here. After all, it was a few weeks since the last time we were in a Unesco World Heritage city and took Ferry Rosslare Cherbourg schedule. Finally culture again with honors ! So we quartered ourselves in the best hotel of the town and were amazed at the view from our balcony.

No, those were not the cooling towers of a nuclear power plant that had smashed here in the middle of the village , city planners , this was an architectural gem , which we , dirty culture of the world tour , now no longer knew how to appreciate. After all, we were able to enjoy ourselves on the clear language of the Norman house design. And it did not mean that UNESCO honored the title " Ode to Concrete", with which the city of Le Havre led the way into the future? This ode emphasized the long-standing friendship between French and Belarusian style to the poignant. Here the aggregate concrete avant-garde came out of the shadows and proudly presented to the international audience. The point is , we are not a professional audience , so the reader will please forgive these lines. Later we looked at Ferry Newcastle Amsterdam schedule

After all, there was a spare room into which we were led at half past ten , so we could see with their own eyes the fact that it was not ready yet. The beds had to be made , which should last until five clock. So far, so good.

The minute until then, we spent over a cup of coffee , and then there was the first mulled wine of the year (or more precisely , the first after two years at all) on a picturesque Christmas market, followed by a traditional French Adventsmahl. Thai curry - the same we ate on Færge Frederikshavn Gøteborg .

But at least the appetizer was typical of the country made with frogs' legs. Thereafter followed a game of darts in a Pub and crossover the acquaintance of a young man who assured us that we had arrived now at the far end of the world. The midnight overlooking the desert of La Havrischen pedestrian confirmed the words more impressive than my words ever this , so I will spare them to me at this point.

Day after, it was time. Family my friend from Berlin stormed with open arms into the cafe, which we had withdrawn for the wake-up and pressed the "boys " to the various breasts. Occasionally, the eyes of peer and I met. This was in addition to a good deal of pleasure especially to find one. overload. As if we two weeks had had on the Atlantic to deal notify us so now to be back home. As if we were now prepared. Suddenly we were back in the circle of loved ones. And we both would probably like to hold off and on the pause button to be able to have time to pinch yourself ample time.

Monday, 30 March 2015

April trip to Lake Achen

That is completely sufficient. You missed nothing. On the contrary, it even sounds strange and almost seems a bit of funny when you hear the news again after months of abstinence. Or at a kiosk reads the headlines. It's like you're tap into a well-known loop. In this eternal bleating machinery that still produces the same mud. It is the pull of a colorful, loud, empty hole. With the boat, fortunately, can sail away easily.
Only when the winter comes, the bitter cold, the ship must be out of the water. The ice could damage the paint, crush the hull if possible. Then I 'm staying with friends, draw grumpy and briefly again in the one room of my apartment. In March, however, the planks have to be sanded and painted again. In April it starts again - get out on the water, back to safety to Aachen.
What is happening? The view in the distance is one of the gifts of my little town and housing change. Not rigid at all the house walls, no doors, no motorcade, no longer gasping for parking. At sea, these phenomena of full gas company no longer exist. Man must keep still, listening. You do not dozing in this life boat also.
The greatest gift in my life at sea is life - but also time to work. For I am God knows no privateer, no shares with cute little box filled account. So I write and work on board to continue - and this even more and, perhaps, even better. Sitting on the bunk next to the galley and can devote myself to the texts with rest. When I want, when it runs best. Mostly in the very early morning hours on the cheap Ferry Holyhead Dublin.
I have a laptop, a surf stick. Near the coast and in the ports of the network usually works well. Twice a day I dial into the invisible world beyond the horizon into it, read and write my e -mails. Twice a day, a quarter of an hour. That's it. Not more. Makes me more stupid. It has taken away my life.
At noon I go swimming, am sailing here, there, in the next bay to the next port. Eat herring sandwiches, chatting with fishermen. But lo and behold: There is still time left! For as much time stealing a the offices, the mail, the city, the smart phones, the television, the eternal distractions of our sounding little world ? I would now appreciate that all this a smooth steals half of each day. If you are not careful, half a lifetime with cheap Ferry Harwich Hook of Holland.
I need little. The Lake Achen, two pairs of jeans, some T-shirts, three thick sweaters, two pairs of sneakers. That is enough. Also, this reduction gives a time - and perhaps one or the other. No longer the pursuit of more, being surrounded by a thousand things, not the usual stimuli dictate the day. All wiped away. The Marine life is after all the months of rather a different way of looking through the head.
How long can you evade our harried society - without missing out on something ? Even the question is wrong. How long do you let yourself of this rushed society - to have missed anything really important in the end? This question makes it even more likely.





Friday, 20 March 2015

A first taste of Vietnamese culture

Due to a flood that has already claimed 40 lives, no trains to the south. Our mum on time (note, we interrupt this text for a short eulogy : Marina May, you have fed us, calms ( " do not panic, the driver comes in time, everything will be fine " ), shown us the way and explain the world ( " stomach ache " ), protected us from the rain and grown our laundry - three cheers to you, you gentle angel with nerves of steel ) booked hastily a flight to Da Nang : then Hue is just skipped and there ! goes directly to Hoi An : Nothing is more flexible than a person traveling, the where and when has no significance for the course of things and take a look at fast Ferry Dublin Liverpool.
Farewell of the rumors of Ha Noi : We are already on the way to the airport when we hear it : A friend of a friend of a friend this morning was in the 17 Floor of the Hanoi Towers busy, as he saw it through the window : a few kilometers a dust mushroom cloud rose over the city like after a big explosion : near the football stadium where the military rehearses for his ultimate 1000 annual parade and look at the ferries.
Then the first cell phone photos on the Internet: destruction, deaths, injuries, chaos, police officers, firefighters. Certainly not stop, but some catastrophic stupidity : what the Army must also consider their bombs through the city and cram all containers with fireworks ! A little later: news blackout and digital cleanup until the official version is finished tinkering. What remains is the rumor mill, which could prohibit or no regime in the world, the whispering.
With thick butt the darkness sitting on the land when we arrive : almost midnight : After the notoriously overcrowded capital of Hoi An as the main character in a movie Nouevelle Vague : dark, beautiful, silent, mysterious, empty of life. Small houses, wide streets, sidewalks real - and nowhere to be seen a soul, either on two wheels or four, not on low stool sitting, not lying asleep. This is like my last Ferry Dublin to Holyhead Timetable trip.
Simply no. That's a shock : Here's something bad happens ? Where are all the ? Why not honk like in Bremen? - And if we miss our 3 million new citizens after a week Ha Noi - must feel like a Vietnamese from Hanoi, when he first comes into the empty Germany ? ( We guessed it right : Lonely, unreal, disoriented, lost. ) The cicadas give everything : A sound, as if the night powered by high voltage. These croaking frogs, chirping geckos, rats fiepende who walk in all front yards.
"You want to go to a bar ? Good bar ? " - Amidst the dark alley, surrounded by romantic old house, our lone cowboy comes a scooter riders contrary, on his horse : Humanity is therefore not extinct, at least the tourist traps are still alive. We give him a brush-off, go left, right, left, right, up the brownish asphalt passes into brownish water surface, a few boats, the noses stretched on the sidewalk, take a nap - and land by itself at the " Good Bar ", which is the ultimate culture shock : no chairs but wicker chairs from which sources voluminous tourists sweaty faces under silly hats, hairy paws, lift the tankard : of delicate Vietnamese sitting in white waiter blouses the thick chunks and raise food ( fries ) and liquid ( beer ) to the gaping maws. (For a delirious second, I think I know as true as the Americans tried to feel at home here ).