I made a stopover in Bregenz, a nice litte town in Vorarlberg, Austria located at the Lake Constance on my way to France.
Unfortunately it was a bit rainy as u can see.
Unfortunately it was a bit rainy as u can see.
The hometown of Margit, the wife of my photographer Arnd. They go there for easter every year and I accompanied them in 2005 to meet my carinthian friend MARIA. It was great fun with all the easter eggs, the traditional costumes and the "Fleischweihe", which means a priest consecrates the "Osterjause".
Defenitely very strange for not carinthians...
Defenitely very strange for not carinthians...
Just around the corner of my Hometown Vienna lies Burgenland, a federal country of Austria, where I visited Linda. We had a great day in spring 2003 with the cherry blossom, the wine cellars, the Lake Neusiedl and and of course the storkes in Rust.
Over the years some of my friends came over to meet me in Vienna, my base and hometown. So here are some impressions with for example FRANCESCA from Venice, RACHEL and FRAN from New York, KARIN from Berlin, METTE from Norway or JANNEKE form Amsterdam.
See yourself...
See yourself...
On my Belgium trip in Spring 2023 with AMELIE we had one day in the lovely town of Bruges. This city was extremly poor over about 400/500 years and couldn't afford to modernise or renew anything, so nowadays it looks pretty much the same as in the middleaged centuries. Lucky for us, because it is soooo beautiful.
Brussels, the capital auf Belgium ist a very interresting place, because many of the European Union institutions are located here, so the city is extremly international. Besides the famos atomium of course there are a lot of nice statues like Pieter Bruegel, Maenneken-Piss or the famous singer Jaques Brel are scattered throughout the streets. And absolutely one of the greates marketplaces in the world. Check it out...
A daytrip to Liege-Guillemins and the Parc des Topiaires again with AMELIE. Liege-Guillemins is a station built by the spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, whom I admire (check out the Special Galleries!, but the coloured elements are from an artist, whose name I forgot (because I didn't like it!!! ;-)). Usually the station is just white and really amazing. Durbuy located in the Ardennes is known as the smallest city in the world, which isn't true I guess, but it is very beautiful and has this wonderful Parc des Topliaires, next to the river Ourthe with a nice view to the château. In the parc has 250 plant sculptures.
Another stop during the 2003 Belgium tour. with AMELIE. Like Bruges Ghent is a very old but well preserved city. So beautiful! And not to forget there is the The Ghent Altarpiece, also known as the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a large and famous 15th-century polyptych altarpiece by Jan van Eyck. Unfortunately I couldn't see it this time. I'll be back!!!
On my way back from the Balitc states I made a stop over in Olomouc. So I spent the afternoon in this beautiful old city in the Czech Republic walking around on my own. The astronomical clock, the flying manta rays or the message for the pope, - really interresting and a little bit unexpected.
On my second trip to London unfortunately the Queen past away and so it was a very special athmosphere in the City. Og course I met Claire again but also Ruby and her friend Riley at Camden Market . Best place for shopping funny and strange things. London is truly an amazing city, so i spend more than a week in late summer 2022.
While I stayed in London for a couple of days in the summer of 2003, originally meeting Claire, I used the opportunity for a short sailingtrip to Greenwich with my friend Susan. Because we could not dock in a harbour we had to jump of a swaying sailboat. great fun but tricky, - what an experience...
In late summer of 2022 I visitid Sheila in Norwich and we started a 4-days-trip throught the southeast of England.
My next destination on my tour through nothern Europe was Estonia where I met Malve. Parnu is a little villge by the sea and a hotspot for estonians in summer.
On my Baltic-Tour I visited Maive from Tallinn. Maives hometown, the capital of Estonia is a very old city (first appeared on a map in 1154) and and was part of the Hanseatic League since 1285. The City was known under the name Reval until Estonia become an independent nation in 1920. The historic city center is really awesome and the Rotermann district is impressive because of the interresting combination of the old buildings with modern architecture. see yourself...
Maive from Tallinn and I decided to make a daytrip to Helsinki, Finland to meet Saana. So we took the ferry and had a couple of hours in Finlands capital for a short lookaround in the city. The statues at the station are sometimes defamiliarized, like the band kiss. Sounds like good fun! ;-)
Summer 2004 I visited Jutta in Cologne. Unfortunately we didn't have much time, so we met at the River Rhine, went to the cathedral and the flagshipstore of the iconic "4711 Original Eau de Cologne", the classic fragrance sinc 1792.
Two fantastic days with Sandra in Dresden, second biggest city on the river Elbe after Hamburg. Dresden has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Kings of Saxony and you can see that all over the city. And the view at the riverside is amasing, probably one of the most imressive ones in the world. Unfortunately one of the big bridges broke down just a couple of weeks, befor I went there. See yourself...
I met Jana 2018 in the eastern part of Germany and together we visited Erfurt, Halle, Weimar and Quedlinburg. Jana is originally from Prague, the capital of czechia but she wanted to join me on this trip. So this is Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia, known for its medieval Old Town and Gothic architecture and of course the Krämerbrücke. This bridge is a historic merchant’s bridge, lined with half-timbered houses definitely a one-of-a-kind structure in Europe.
In summer 2024 I visited Rosi in Garmisch-Partenkirchen a typical, traditional village in Bavaria.
In the afternoon we took the cable car and went up the Zugspitze, which is the highest moubtain in Germany. Vary nice, but windy and cold up there though it was a hot summerday!
In the afternoon we took the cable car and went up the Zugspitze, which is the highest moubtain in Germany. Vary nice, but windy and cold up there though it was a hot summerday!
On my trip through Saxony and Thuringia in Eastern Germany with Jana we had a stop over in Halle the second biggest city in Saxony and city of birth of George Frideric Handel the famous composer. Impressive marketplace.
When I was visiting Helga in Hamburg in 2004 for a couple of hours Linda from the Burgenland, Austria was joinig the party for some hours. And in the afternoon at the Landungsbrücken we met Wechsler, one of the closest friends of my photographer Arnd. And in the evening of course we endet up at the Reeperbahn! What a city...
On my visit in Saxony in 2024 Sandra and I were visiting Leipzig to see the Thoms Church where Johann Sebastian Bach was working as a cantor and was composing for years. And of course the Auerbach Keller, where Johann Wolfgang von Goethe invented Doctor Faustus. In the afternoon we had a stop at the monument to the battle of nations as you can see on the last 5 pics.
On my trip through Bavaria Rosi and I went to Neuschwanstein Castle to see Therese. The Castle was commenced by the Bavarian King Ludwig II in 1869 and never completed. He saw it as a monument to medieval culture and kingship.
Disney copied the style for the castles in his parks.
See the last photo from the Florida Trip in 2026 with Olivia
Disney copied the style for the castles in his parks.
See the last photo from the Florida Trip in 2026 with Olivia
In 2019 I was visiting the oldest city of Germany, Trier. I spend two days in the city where Karl Marx was born on 5th of May in 1818. Trier was founded by the Celtic tribe of the Treveri in the 4th century BC, was conquered by the Romans, under Julius Caesar in 58 to 50 BC and has more Roman structures than any European city outside Rome!
Once again I was traveling just on my own, visiting Ulm, the City with the highest church tower on the whole planet ( 161,53 meters). The building of the Church started in 1377 and it was finished in 1890, so the whole process took more than 500 years Old Oettingen, the second place on this trip is a famous bavarian place of pilgramage.
In the summer of 2021 I made a trip together with my friend Jana from Prag (who I met as well in Erfurt and Halle three years before) to see her twinsister Janina in Weimar, Thuringia, the city of Goethe and Schiller. Because we had such a great time together, we dicided to make another trip to Quedlinburg, considered one of the 10 most beautiful cities of Germany. And it was really amazing. See yourself...
A Trip with Gina along the Amalfi Coast including the isle of Capri, Ravello, Positano and a nice view on the vulcano Vesuvio
A great time with Graziela in her hometown Bologna, the city with the oldest university in Europe (since 1088). But the really strange thing about Bologna are the towers. Every rich family built their own tower in the late Middle Ages actually for no reason, just bigger than the neighbour. At that time more than 100 were stanfing in the city. 28 of them have survided.
And of course there ist the pasta bolognese.
Great stuff ;-)
And of course there ist the pasta bolognese.
Great stuff ;-)
I was visiting the Garda Lake on my own at around easter in 2018, just to have a great time.
early summer at the lake side and still winter on the top of the Mount Baldo. And no warm clothing.
But it was really beautiful!
early summer at the lake side and still winter on the top of the Mount Baldo. And no warm clothing.
But it was really beautiful!
I came here by accident so to say. My car broke down and needed maintanance so I had some time in this often neglected city. I loved the birthplace of christopher colombus, because it is such a authentic city. Definitely worth visiting...
Late summer of 2021 I met Francesca (from Venice) in Grado, a charming "Island of the Sun" on Italy's Adriatic coast, featuring sandy beaches, a historic old town and access to the beautiful Grado Lagoon.
On my trip through the north of Italy in 2018 with Graciella, we met Francesca from Venice who joined us for a pretty rainy shopping day in Milano. But of course we did a little more than just shopping when the rain stopped.
Just a short daytrip to the Mont Santo de Lussari with Paola and a great view on the Dolomites
During my stay in Napoli meeting Gina, we made an additional day trip to Pompeji, which is pretty close by. Pompeji is/was a Roman city, destroyed and preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Buried under volcanic ash, its ruins remained lost for centuries before being rediscovered in 1748. Today, Pompeii is a world-renowned archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Outstanding.
Meeting Lelde in Latvia, first stop in Kuldiga which is a very old, little town in latvia, often used in cinema when it comes to middle age villages.
Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
When you go there you will know why...
Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
When you go there you will know why...
One and a half day in Riga with Lelde. Riga is a partner city of Bremen, an old city, member of the "Hanse" and still a real business place.
Known as the Versailles of Latvia, Rundale Palace shows the grandeur of Baroque and Rococo art, history and design. A wonderful palace and garden close to the small city of Bauskas where I made a stop on my way back to Vienna and met Lelde again.
In Latvia we have been to some nice places like the castle of sigulda and the new castle of sigulda. Here we are...
One of the strangest places I have ever been is this hill covered with crosses in Lithaunia. There are different stories about the why and when, but it is there and very impressive.
Trakai Castle was built in the 14th century on an island of the Lake Galve and served as a residence for the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. It realy looks like a castle from a fairy tale, specially in winter when you can skate on the lake as Lauryna told me.
Trakai Castle was built in the 14th century on an island of the Lake Galve and served as a residence for the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. It realy looks like a castle from a fairy tale, specially in winter when you can skate on the lake as Lauryna told me.
Lauryna gave me a very warm welcome in Vilnius, a city with a lot of free spirit. For example they have this district Respublic of Uzupis with a special own constitution or there is a statue of Frank Zappa who doesn't have any connection to Vilnius, but this free mind that impressed the people in Vilnius. Just my way of thinking...
I was on my own in Luxembourgh and I have to admit, that I didn't expect very much, but it turned out, that it is a very nice place with its Upper and Lower Town, even under bad weather conditions. It is a place with picturesque charm and historic heritage. ;-)
My 1. stop on my tour of the Baltic states was Krakau in Poland. Of course this is not the Baltic state, but it was on my way and I could meet my old friend Carmen in this wonderful historical city
In 2010 I visited my friend GLORIA during the christmas days. Unfortunately the weather was awful, so we couldn't do much. Luckily the last day turned out to be nice and we could do some shots. I have to come back somewhen...
