Where next? Bolzano/Bozen – Innsbruck – Munich via Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The summary – dreamy Northern Italy, Tyrol cultural region, Austria and spirit of Bavaria in Southern Germany.
Continue reading “Train Bolzano – Innsbruck – Munich”
With the New Year just around the corner, walking on the streets of Vienna, at the end of December, I simply remembered the concept of topophilia, meaning love of a place, as Arthur C. Brooks wrote in his “How to Build a Life” column for The Atlantic.
Continue reading “Simply Vienna”
This short trip at the beginning of winter was exactly what I needed. Despite the cold windy weather, I found the city actually warm, cozy and surprisingly sunny. Dublin was colorful and so beautifully decorated for Christmas. Plus, the Irish were friendly and musical – live music, carols choirs and streets singers were everywhere. I read this is how Ed Sheeran started.
Continue reading “Dublin before Christmas”
Maybe this sounds familiar, but the year ended with many beautiful German Weihnachtsmärkte and sparkling decorations in Berlin, as a tradition, in anticipation of Christmas. Not just like the movie.
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Continue reading “Four Christmas Markets & a Palace”
One memorable destination in Romania, classic for a reason. In the stunning southeastern Carpathian Mountains, a castle designed in German Neo-Renaissance style. A visit here was travel at its best = discovery combined with education.
Feeling the quiet royal charm going near Sinaia, even as a day trip from Bucharest, to visit Peleș Castle and nearby, Pelișor Palace, former residence of the Royal Heirs.
Continue reading “Peleş Castle in Sinaia”
One of the biggest public international film festivals in the world. That special time of the year if you are a Berliner and movie enthusiast, as special as the history of this city. To attend again last week the 73rd annual Berlin International Film Festival, for a 4th year in a row, was a great joy.
Continue reading “Berlinale Special”
Regardless where I would travel and get to see in this big world, a few days in Romania are good for the soul. My roots and cultural identity are in this corner of Europe. My last trip home was in the heart of Transylvania, in Cluj-Napoca, also known simply as Cluj until 1974.
Continue reading “In Cluj, Transylvania”
This December in Bucharest, I went for a walk in the city center and came across spectacular Christmas decorations in two historical restored buildings. One new favorite sight was discovered by accident and the second one on purpose.
My first stop was the Marmorosch Hotel, monument building with a history of over 100 years. And at Mița Biciclista we can admire a restored house from the interwar period, back in vogue.
Continue reading “Before Christmas in Bucharest”
Similar to Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, the spirit of Christmas pasts in Brussels visited me – from a time when I used to be in the holiday frame of mind, unlike this year. Although is never too late.
The markets in Brussels were festive and even magical, but most important, also gourmet. After all, Belgium is the country of chocolate, waffles, bier and fries.
Continue reading “Christmas Past – Bruxelles”
This year had everything, good memories, challenges, lessons, new variants, depending on your frame of mind. I’m grateful that after some time, I was able to travel to Vienna, go on a journey in Tuscany, attend a concert in Berlin, to enjoy a meal at a restaurant in Bologna, meet friends in Madrid or visit a museum in Bucharest.
Continue reading “Fragments of 2021 & of Bucharest”
Thoughts from the road, in a December, after exploring the Christmas markers of small Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, zigzagging alleys, and a familiar mix of French and German culture. The more I explore, the more familiar a place and the world feels.
Continue reading “Winter in Luxembourg”
City of Mozart, Marzipan combined with pistachio, covered in dark chocolate, or Sound of Music and Christmas markets? Besides Vienna, Austria has more beautiful cities, and Salzburg is one hidden treasure. Dream now, visit later.
Continue reading “A day in Salzburg”
While sitting in the train from Berlin to Potsdam, I started writing about my last trip to Düsseldorf. Even though “dorf” means village in German, Düsseldorf is such an interesting dinamic city today. I visited it in for a reunion in summer and by myself in autumn. And two time in winter, for the Christmas market, as we have to admit the holidays are the only best part during the cold months.
Continue reading “4 things to do in Düsseldorf”
Since I visited Prague twice, once in winter weather, and in summer, I feel I saw and photographed two different contrasting cities, both beautiful. I explored so far only districts Praha 1 and Praha 2. May sounds as Hunger games, but in fact Prague is more bohemian than entertaining, more Kafka than Hollywood.
Continue reading “Photo journal from Prague”
I feel that I already mix up in my head cities seen in recent months, Strasbourg, Colmar, Baden Baden, Luzern, Zürich, and now Basel and Freiburg, so I must stop a minute to reflect and write some thoughts about each.
Continue reading “Art Basel”
Alongside Cannes and Venice, Berlin is the platform of one of the biggest public international film festivals in the world. For a movie enthusiast, living in a city with many classic arthouse cinemas, was a joy to celebrate in February 2020 the 70th Berlinale International Film Festival.
Continue reading “Berlinale 2020”
In a December morning before Christmas in 2017 I was drinking my coffee at Café Demel, where it smells phenomenal (Kohlmarkt 14, 1010 Wien). The Christmas atmosphere compliments the charm of the city. It was unexpectedly lovely, but I’ll take it.
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