Kategorie: Traveling

Welcome to the travel section of my blog, where I share my adventures and experiences from around the world. I’m a passionate traveler, and I believe that exploring new places and immersing oneself in different cultures is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have.

Through my travels, I’ve discovered some incredible destinations, met fascinating people, and had some unforgettable experiences. Whether it’s exploring the temples of Cambodia, wandering the colorful streets of New Orleans, or enjoying the local cuisine in Portugal, each trip has left me with a new appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our world.

In this section, I’ll take you on a journey through my travels, sharing my favorite destinations, tips for traveling on a budget, and stories from the road. I’ll also share insights into the local culture, food, and history of the places I visit, giving you a taste of what it’s like to explore the world through my eyes.

So come along and let’s explore the world together!

Entering Shibuya

Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo, Japan
Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo, Japan

Multicolored neon light that illuminates a major city center with a vibrant nighttime glow, businessmen cackling, Japanese girls in bright outfits: welcome to Shibuya on a Friday night!

Before going to Japan when I thought of Tokyo I thought of the Shibuya crossing which is pretty famous for being one of the world’s most heavily used pedestrian scramble intersections. I have seen so many photos of this spot and it was one of the places I truly wanted to visit.

We ended up in Shibuya a couple times over our trip but the photo in this post is from the very first visit. While the Shibuya crossing does have „pedestrian crossing lines“ which cross in different direction it does seem like people will charge in more or less any direction, as you can see in this video that was taken a few days later.

Electrified in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, Japan

After visiting more than half a dozen Asian countries (including six months in India), I left on my staggering excursion to Japan in June of 2014. I felt the little hairs on my arms standing up as I boarded the Airbus A330-200 at Frankfurt Airport, waves of excitement running up and down my spine, knowing I would end up on the other side of the world, in Tokyo.

After the seventeen-hour journey (via Beijing), and a loud bang, I awoke to a hazy, electric glow, which was almost too much to bear in my awfully jet lagged state. Tokyo glows.

Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo Bay, Japan
Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo Bay, Japan

Tokyo is perhaps the most gorgeous ugly city in the world. It’s a super-dense riot of mismatched buildings, overhead wiring and one of the planet’s best mass transit systems. In other words: Blade Runner city.

It’s like being surrounded by embers from a fire on speed at nighttime. There’s lights, such a large number of lights, all different colored sparkling lights reflecting all around, and people, so many people, and sounds, sounds that don’t stop.

After deciding I needed out after some days in Tokyo, I headed to Hakone for a respite from the Shibuya crossing …

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Gothic Majesty of Siena

Duomo di Siena
Duomo di Siena
Streets of Siena's medieval center
Streets of Siena’s medieval center
Basilica di San Domenico
Basilica di San Domenico

Truth be told, the real gems of Tuscany are the historic town and cities. One of my favorite is the Gothic majesty of Siena. Legend tells us that Siena was founded by the son of Remus, and the symbol of the wold feeding the twins Romulus and Remus is as ubiquitous in Siena as it is in Rome.

The streets of Siena’s medieval center are humongous and gorgeous. During the day the stone ground sizzles under the sun and the wonderfully crafted buildings bake from exposure from an incredible clear sky. To be on the safe side and because I love film grain, I decided to load my camera with an ISO 200 Fuji film to capture the town (click on the photos to enlarge them and to see the grain).

Our first stop was Duomo di Siena, a cathedral originally designed and completed between 1215 and 1263 and Siena’s main landmark. The dome rises from a hexagonal base with supporting columns. The magnificent facade of white, green and red polychrome marble was designed by Giovanni Pisano. The lantern atop was added by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Later we visited the Basilica di San Domenico, which was constructed between 1226 and 1265, but was enlarged in the 14th century resulting in the stunning Gothic appearance it has now. In the afternoon we continued to stroll around Siena and had plenty of Gelati at Palazzo Publicco…

Music on the Lawn & Beach Party

Am Samstag war Music on the Lawn, ein kleines Konzert auf dem Gelände von CERN. Die Mitglieder der Bands sind allesamt Kollegen. Besonders gut spielten „Miss Proper & the Moving Targets“. 😀

Weniger Rock, dafür um so mehr House und Trance gab es dann am Abend. Am Lac Léman ging es weiter mit einer Beach Party.