All posts filed under: Travels

Berlin to Copenhagen

Published by

Between a cozy Kneipe in Berlin and a hyggelig hotel lounge in Copenhagen, a seasoned cyclist travels along the Berlin to Copenhagen Bicycle Route, completing the journey in under a week. We may not all strive to be seasoned cyclists, but if you appreciate European capitals and cultural experiences; love national parks and being in nature; resonate with environmentally friendly vacations and exploring something new: here’s your sign. As post-pandemic travel surged, so have accounts of the escalating costs, declining quality, long lines and delays, and misadventures at airports and aboard cramped flights. The phrase “travel isn’t fun anymore” has become like a punctuation mark at the end of dispiriting narratives. To reclaim the vitality of traveling, let us reclaim the journey itself. It is not only about a destination; it is also the way that we lean into: the places we travel through, mindful and flexible, at a human pace — and the people, nature, and cultural expressions we observe and interact with along the way. It is about what emerges from within — when given the …

Beach Holiday in Germany

Published by

Germany’s fantastic beaches are little-known wonders outside of the country. A friend who grew up in a town on the North Sea coast tells me that many Germans used to fly to Mallorca or mainland Spain, southern France, Italy, the Greek islands, or Turkey for their beach holidays, but in recent years northern European beach towns have been receiving more attention from vacationers. With intense heat waves and wildfires in southern Europe, and expanding environmental consciousness overall, more people have been choosing to travel closer to home — to beaches in Germany and Scandinavia. “My hometown is getting more visitors in the summers now. It’s definitely becoming more popular,” she remarks. These coastal towns and beaches are attractive and serene — ideal for relaxing and energizing holidays. It makes you wonder why they haven’t developed the renown of other beaches in modern times, despite all their natural beauty and charm. “Maybe we’re not as good at marketing,” my friend suggests. There is the marketing issue in some places, to be sure. Some beaches and resorts …

Marienbad

Published by

I am in the garden, reading Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature by Janine Benyus. Biomimicry is about observing nature’s strategies to come up with advanced solutions for human challenges such as food spoilage and shortages, harmful chemicals, and water scarcity. Landing on the opening quote from Václav Havel, I sense synchronicity, here in the Czech Republic. “We must draw our standards from the natural world. We must honor with the humility of the wise the bounds of that natural world and the mystery which lies beyond them, admitting that there is something in the order of being which evidently exceeds all our competence.“ Václav Havel There is a soft murmuring of water from a fountain behind me and a rippling pool in front, as the swimmers float gently from side to side. I settle deeper into the lounge, adjust the sand-colored shade above the chair and continue reading. A honeybee with the unmistakable aura of purpose arrives. He lands on the top edge of the book, so close that I can observe his stubbly knees. Literally, the …

Timeless in Tuscany

Published by

“Sed fugit interea,fugit inreparabile tempus,singular dum capticircumvectamur amore”  Virgil, Georgics It’s 3 o’clock on a Saturday. Saturn-Day, as in Saturn, the great teacher. We’ve arrived. The grandfather clock behind the reception desk stands still, frozen at some previous, unspecified 4 o’clock. Looking closely, I make out the phrase on its face: tempus fugit. “Fugit inreparabile tempus” (It escapes, irretrievable time), wrote the poet Virgil — later expressed in English as: time flies. While time may fly, it can also stop for a spell. Also not flying on this day: our luggage — left behind by the airline along the way. We check in and then go to the center of this piccolo villaggio, hoping for a shop with swimwear. Aha, a shop: Fata Morgana. This is the Italian name of the Fairy Morgana, the sorceress Morgan le Fay in Arthurian legend. Fata Morgana is also the name of a mirage of sorts, visible above the horizon, once believed to be fairy castles conjured up by witchcraft. Now known as “optical phenomena.” They are sometimes seen in the Strait of …