Category Archives: World

World news, etc.

Ten years after

Ten years ago: I was driving home from work. I had not listened to radio or seen TV all day, and had not been in contact with people who had.

My car radio was my first source of world news – and what news it could bring me!

My day at work often ended at a time when the radio station I normally listened to, aired some program for kids. They often excelled in really bad sense of humor. So when I first heard the terrible news, it was so extreme, I thought it was some very stupid jokes from a very stupid person in a very stupid radio program.

But it wasn’t.

It was very real.

 

 

10 states in 14 days

As written earlier, a friend and I had planned a trip to Japan, which got cancelled because of all the problems there.

Because we already had planned our vacation, we had to fill out the days with something. So we decided to fly to USA instead, spend a few days in Washington DC and then rent a car and drive along the east coast to New Orleans.

I have just returned from that trip. I suffer from serious jetlag. Though it is just past noon, my head still thinks it is in the middle of the night.

In two weeks, we have been in ten of the United States – or nine (I’m not sure if we crossed the line between Washington DC and Maryland):

Washington DC. The capital of the US – with lots of museums, governmental buildings, monuments and Georgetown.

Outer Banks. A string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina.

Wilmington (NC), which has become a major center of American film and television production – famous for being the location of Dawson’s Creek.

Charleston and Savannah, some of the central cities in the old south.

And New Orleans – not like the other places we saw. A lot is happening in Bourbon Street, in The French Quarter. And they also play a lot of music there. 😉

Canceled visit to troubled land

For quite a long time, I have wanted to visit a specific place in Asia. Even back in time, when such travels were out of my reach, I wished to see it.

Then, in the beginning this year, it was suddenly possible for me to make such journey. I had the time and opportunity, so I went for it.

Together with a friend, we bought two tickets for an exciting trip to Japan, and we both looked forward to see Osaka, Tokyo and other large and small cities in Japan. Not to mention the possibility to experience thousands of blooming cherry trees.

You may already have guessed it: Just before our departure, Japan was hit by the “once a millennium” earthquake, followed by a massive tsunami … And something that, at the time of writing, looks like a serious risk of a nuclear disaster.

Though I have missed an opportunity to visit the country, I so long have wanted to visit, there’s another reason for me being sad at the moment: The thought of the Japanese people, struggling with all those problems; with even more problems ahead, if they don’t solve the trouble at the nuclear plants.

I wish all the best for Japan!

Reise nach Berlin

I just returned home after a week in Berlin. It was not the best time to visit the city: Berlin can be cold and rainy in November. But it is a fantastic city, and certainly worth a visit!

Brandenburger Tor

Soaked every second day

It is a strange weather these days. Every second day the sun shines – the rest of the time the rain is pouring down in quantities I have not seen before. When the weather is like today, with solid rain, umbrella and rainwear are almost useless. If you’re not wearing a drysuit, you get soaked to the skin.

Queen 70

Her Majesty the Queen turns 70 today.
Everyone knows how she looks, so here is Andy Warhol with his interpretation.

Size of Problems

We – and the problems we are grappling with – fills a lot in our own worldview.
But if we see the Earth from outside, we are really quite small in comparison.

Earth is one of the smaller planets around the Sun.
The sun is just one out of approx. 100 billion (!) Stars in the Milky Way.

The Milky Way is just one of perhaps billions of galaxies in the universe.

Suddenly everyday problems seems rather small. 😉

Where the h… is Matt?

Do you know Matt? Matt likes to dance. Though he may not be the best dancer in the world, he quit his job to dance around the world. And what a fantastic idea this is.
I do envy him – not for his dancing ability, but for all the places he has danced.

Link: wherethehellismatt.com