India is like a lucky bag-. One – no, endless numbers of new worlds are opening up. Each city is different, wherever you go, there are always new and fascinating landscapes, and friendly people everywhere – at least in most places, Indians and loads of travelers. I cannot count the number of nocturnal and sometimes … Read More “Five months in India – a small personal summary” »
Is this still India, I ask myself sometimes. The streets clean, almost no cows or pigs, stray dogs not to mention. The landscape is green, tropical , only sporadic shanties, mostly there are pretty houses – many with painted porches and quite colorful. And women on the streets everywhere. Yes, Kerala is different. It is … Read More “Kerala “God’s own country” or the Indian Switzerland” »
“Madam, do you want a Rickshaw? I can organize all tours for you, and I can guide you”. No matter where you are going- just shortly after the arrival there is a certain guarantee to be addressed in this way every few meters. This does often not correspond to our idea of a nice arrival, … Read More “Joy and burden with Rickshawdrivers” »
In Hindu temples and a surfeit of stories, gods and images. Here in Bijapur – Islamic architecture, the Agra of the South as some call it. The buildings impress with their overall concept and moods. The Golgumbaz has one of the largest free-standing domes in general and the Ibrahim Rauza is a beautifully designed mosque … Read More “Bijapur – a first glimpse of the North” »
There are no cozy hotels, comfortable hang out areas or similar stuff here. The village consists of a lively main street and pretty narrow, whitewashed single-storey houses. The main street – a constant honking, shouting around, buses, cows, pigs, small food stalls and small shops behind. On the other side of the village there is … Read More “Badami – the charm, that reveals itself slowly” »
The Ramayama is one of India’s central epics. It is not as long as the better-known Mahabharata (which is as long as the Iliad and the Odyssey together), but is still quite a complicated story, which extends geographically across the Indian subcontinent. Since the Ramayama plays partly in Hampi , and as I stumble upon … Read More “The Ramayama – very short” »
Krakow is known for its well-preserved downtown (which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a diverse cultural life as well as a cheap party destination. However, when I had the opportunity to visit Krakow last year, it was soon clear for me that the former Jewish district – Kazimierz, is one of the most exciting … Read More “Kazimierz (Krakow) – or the attempt to revive a lost Jewish culture” »
The Rupertikirtag is a fair held annually to celebrate the birthday of St. Rupert, the patron and – as legend says – the founder of Salzburg. At the Rupertikirtag everything is traditional. The Dirndl (the traditional Austrian and Bavarian dress) density is as high as never before, the food is typical Bavarian hearty (not such … Read More “Rupertikirtag – when Salzburg gets rural (Photostory)” »
“I have never thought so much, existed so much, lived so much, been so much myself, if I may venture to use the phrase, as in the journeys which I have made alone and on foot. […] I can scarcely think when I remain still; my body must be in motion to make my mind … Read More “Over the clouds – Thoughts on traveling” »
In the theoretical debate tourism is often descrbed as production and consumption of images. Touristical publicity films and folders are produced to create desires and the travelers themselves make photos not only to show to everyone where they have been, but also to preserve for themselves the places of their longings. Both the promotion material … Read More “Some thoughts on photography, or: Making photos of Angkor Wat” »
