When going for a walk on weekends or in my spare time I tend to explore always the same spots. There's a handful of tracks that I usually prefer to walk along. In a way it's relaxing to know what's coming next. You don't have to look on a map continuously to find your way or not to miss the next turn. I fell into the habit of listening to podcasts while walking, so these little timeouts are refreshing for the mind as well as for the body. But honestly besides the weather, which can be quite different all through the year, there's not much happening there. But I enjoy this unagitated calmness. read more…
blog: nature
Mountains are incredible. They have always been there since the beginning of time. They will always be there until the end of time. They don't change. They are eternal. In fact there are only a few places left where you can think of planet earth as something that is stable and reliable. Stable like a rock, durable like a stone.
Mountains are hard to reach, there are many obstacles on the way up, the conditions are rough, the local climate is all too often a mixed bag, at best. Maybe therefore mountains are still places of solitude and contemplation. read more…
Welcome to Europe. Welcome to Italy. Welcome to Lake Garda. Welcome to Malcesine. Welcome. Just a couple of weeks ago in June 2022 I made a short trip to Italy. It was my first time at the beautiful Lake Garda in the very north of Italy, directly in front of the majestic Alps. The lake fills an enormous natural basin enclosed by mountains. Lake Garda is huge, in certain parts the lake is rather narrow but almost everywhere the huge flat surface feels more like a part of the ocean than a lake filled with beautifully clear freshwater. In the narrow parts of the lake the bottom is more than 300 m below the surface, in the wider areas the lake becomes more flat and the water is significantly warmer. Lake Garda is especially famous for its strong winds which blow from different directions at different times of day. These winds make the lake very attractive for all kind of sailors, windsurfers and of course kite surfers which are very impressive to watch from one of the big ferry boats connecting the most important villages around the lake. read more…
A gentle breeze, mild temperatures, the birds are singing in their trees and eagerly starting to build their homes for the coming season, the first flowers already craning their heads out of the green soil. Springtime. But this was yesterday. Long ago. 24 hours ago even. Today is a different day. Winter is back. All is on hold again. Spring Break. read more…
This year I’ve made it to Zermatt another time despite all the hassle that a trip during COVID restrictions means and despite the still enormous price level that Switzerland but especially Zermatt are famous for. I complained about it a lot in one of my last blog posts here about the iconic local mountain of Zermatt, the Matterhorn. read more…