A blog about food, travel and photography
While some people dread the moody, cold and rainy autumn weather, I personally love the days when the end of summer approaches and fresh air fills the streets. Living in a country where it’s hot all year long and seasons basically don’t exist, I miss European autumns. Like a lot. So when I got the chance to visit southern Sweden beginning of October, I wasn’t only excited about exploring beautiful Malmö but I was hoping for some autumn-like days too….
‘I would have written you, myself, if I could put down in words everything I want to say to you. A sea of ink would not be enough.’ ‘But you built me dreams instead.’
I’m a person of few words. Or rather, I don’t use words in excess. I like to listen. And ask the right questions at the right time. I believe in the power of picking your words wisely. Sometimes it’s just a short thought or a quick remark that makes people change their minds. That makes them realise a thing or two about their dreams. That helps them to find a solution to their problem. I’ve never really understood the mission of a motivational speaker. For me it feels confining to be overwhelmed with all these words and thoughts and ideas. Other people’s words and thoughts and ideas. And at the end of the day there is nothing left other than a lot of noise and not much vision. But where are my own thoughts and my own ideas then?…
The fresh smell of coffee soon wafted through the apartment, the smell that separates night from day. – Haruki Murakami, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki
I still remember my first trip to Amsterdam. I must have been 16 or so, maybe even younger. My dad and I went on a motorcycle trip from his town in Northern Germany to Amsterdam. I’m not sure how long the trip lasted but I still vividly recall sitting on the back of his motorcycle thinking this was the coolest thing ever. Until we arrived in Amsterdam. Because my dad preferred to stay in a hotel outside the city. So we had to drive to the city centre fully equipped. Leather jacket and pants, helmet and all the weight that comes with it. Considering that at the tender age of 15/16 I was tall, thin and lanky, leather clothes didn’t look very cool on me. Needless to say, I felt slightly embarrassed walking the streets of hip and trendy Amsterdam with an hideous outfit and my dad by my side. …
Her Time
She has been feeling it for awhile – that sense of awaking. There is a gentle rage simmering inside her, and it is getting stronger by the day. She will hold it close to her – she will nurture it and let it grow. She won’t let anyone take it away from her. It is her rocket fuel and finally, she is going places. She can feel it down to her very core – this is her time. She will not only climb mountains – she will move them too.”
― Lang Leav
I put this post off for as long as possible. I edited all the photos, I noted the places, I set up this post with all the links. And yet, it took me 3 weeks to start writing. I find it hard to grasp Moscow. It’s vibe and people and culture. Though, it should be familiar to me. I was born in the former GDR and the country’s relationship to Russia was strong. My parents and family used to tell me about their adventurous trips to Moscow and St. Petersburg. They talked about their beauty and pomp and glory. But they also remembered Moscow as a lively city with an amazing bar scene. For them travelling to Russia was like a dream come true. It was one of the only countries they were allowed to visit, though not everyone went or was allowed or could afford it like my mum.
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Sometimes what you’re looking for comes when you’re not looking at all.
The past few weeks have been hectic and overwhelming at times, to say the least. When Felix suggested to join him on a trip in England after a business meeting in London I wasn’t sure if I yet wanted to hop on a plane. All I was wishing for was a calm and relaxing weekend, preferably in bed. But then again, I got second thoughts because I know myself. And I know that I can’t stand sitting at home all day long.
So we decided instead of staying in London like we usually do, we would go somewhere else in England. Somewhere calm and relaxing. Far away from all the hustle and bustle of a big city. We more or less randomly decided to go to Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. I think our decision was based on a pretty picture Felix saw on Instagram. It turned out to be the best decision in a long time….
When I knew that I was going to Zürich, what did I do first? That’s right – dived into Google searches looking for the best places to eat. Luckily my hotel in Zürich was already sorted and so was my breakfast. But I still had ‘food slots’ available for late morning snacks, lunch, early afternoon snacks, late afternoon snacks and dinner. If you just spend two days in a city, there is only so much you can eat. But I tried my best and found some pretty tasty spots, from traditional Swiss cuisine to cold pressed juices and delicious coffee. Many of the food and coffee spots are recommendations from my friends Heike of @tastyasheck and Fanny of @fannythefoodie. I have also listed all their other tips further down below….
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~ Leonardo da Vinci
We landed in Zurich, Switzerland on a sleepy Friday morning. The sky was grey and cloudy and the temperatures colder than we anticipated. Our taxi driver welcomed us with a friendly “Hoi zäme”. And the question if the kebab in Istanbul is better than the one in Zurich. The drive into town was short and peaceful. Coming from busy and loud Istanbul, arriving in Zurich’s Old Town feels like stepping into a world of quietness, serenity and coziness. We made our way through narrow alleys and quaint cobbled streets, lined with picturesque buildings and medieval sights. Passing by smiling elderly tourist groups, artisan shops and historic Cafes selling traditional Swiss cakes and pastries. Just when we thought the narrow lanes could’t get any smaller we arrived at our final destination, the Marktgasse Hotel….
Hands up who has always been dreaming about travelling to Istanbul? And hands up again who is now hesitant due to disturbances and political unrest? It’s probably one of the most frequently asked question I get: “Is it safe to visit Istanbul at the moment?” That’s the same question my dad kept on asking me since we moved to Istanbul, Turkey 1.5 years ago. Usually he is one of the first guests who hops on a plane to visit me, no matter where I live. In general I don’t like to convince people or talk them into something because it must be their decision only. I can only tell them stories of my life, show them photos and answer all questions truthfully. As for my dad, talking about the delicious Turkish food probably did the trick eventually….
I remember, when I was little, around the age of 10, a lot of my mum’s friends would go to Malta on vacation. I always thought, who wants to go to Malta if you can go to Italy. When I turned 12 I had the option of going on a language course, either to the UK or Malta. And again I though London and the rough British weather sounds much more tempting than Malta. Almost 20 years later and I finally did it. I went to Malta with a friend of mine mid of March. With Malta I even hit a little milestone, I visited my 70th country. Honestly I probably wouldn’t have travelled to Malta if it wasn’t for three reasons.
First of all, my friend, who is living in Hamburg didn’t want to fly very long so it had to be something in Europe. Secondly, I only wanted to go somewhere where there was a somewhat good guarantee of sunshine and mild temperature, so it had to be in the South of Europe. And last but not least, and that was the difficult part, I wanted to visit a new country. …
Israel has been on my bucket list for the longest time. First and foremost, there is the food. Some of my favorite dishes come from that region. Some recipes have its origin from bordering countries like Palestine and Irak which makes a culinary tour through Israel even more interesting. And then you have the religious influences. Jewish food meets Muslim food meets Christian food. Not everything you eat in Israel is Israeli and I would have much preferred to travel to all surrounding countries. But that’s not always easy and so I enjoyed my time in Israel as a melting pot of food from the region and diverse religions.
Before I continue with my post, let me say one thing. Believe it or not but you will eat the best hummus and pita in your life when coming to Israel. I could have never imagined that hummus could taste even better than I know. It just blew my mind and if you can’t find any reasons yourself why to visit Israel. The hummus will be justification enough. Trust me on this one….
