Shopping less
After a quick stroll through the beautiful Company Gardens, a park in the heart of Cape town, we went to the V&A Waterfront. It’s a newly re-developed area around the two basis of Cape Town’s harbor, named after Queen Victoria and her second son, Alfred. Today it houses a number of restaurant, bars, markets and, […] Read More
Homecoming
First full day in Cape Town. I managed to get my SIM cards, I got the local public transport card, had breakfast in Manhattan Café (already my hot spot, as I write this I have been there four times!), and went to the supermarket. I love having an apartment again and a kitchen. A place […] Read More
Varanasi Silk
Our guide Manoj took us to a visit through one of the Varanasi silk factories. We had a guide who showed us how the silk gets woven, from the men who develop the patterns, make the cards that steer the electric looms, or weave the silk by hand. I can’t comprehend how you can invent […] Read More
Reclamation Street Market
It was finally time to visit the other part of town: Kowloon, on the mainland. I took the ferry from downtown that brings you over the Victoria Harbour in less than 10 minutes. The views on Hong Kong are fantastic. If it weren’t for the smog over the harbor and all around. It was hard […] Read More
On top of it all
There’s one tourist attraction that every visitor in Hong Kong seems to have to do: take the cable car up the steep hill and enjoy the view over Hong Kong and the harbor from Victoria Peak, or simply: the Peak. I went there on a Sunday, which might have been a bad idea, but as […] Read More
Sai Ying Pun
I’m on Hong Kong Island, an area called Sai Ying Pun. It’s a bit west of the center and downtown, but high-risers are everywhere. In my case it is more residential high-risers than office glass towers. But it’s dense nonetheless, after fall they need to fit those seven million onto the island, somehow. Sai Ying Pun seems […] Read More
Llegué a Mexico City
I arrived in Mexico city in the wee hours of Sunday. The flight was good, we had space as the plane wasn’t even half full. Though I could not sleep; and I arrived in zombie mode. I got through all the controls fast and without hassle, even though my washed passport looks really beaten. But […] Read More
Shopping for the desert
Burning Man is only a few days away and I am busy assembling my stuff. I’ll get my tent from Brandon, the bike from Dennis, I still need an air mattress (and pump) some airtight containers (against the dust) and a few smaller things. I’m testing the bike tires right now and will go on […] Read More
Sur le plateau
The flight to Montréal was smooth and uneventful. I’m really glad it all worked out with my connections in Istanbul. And it was great to see Heike and Toma and their little baby, already grown so much after two months. They hosted me for a short night and even got me from and drove me […] Read More
Summertime slowness
I slept in today, while Sue was up for getting a pedicure on Sheinkin Street in a little beauty parlor…. When I got up, I went over to the Dizengoff shopping mall to get tickets for the Rolling Stones who will be playing their first ever gig here on Wednesday. However, the queue was enormous […] Read More