Smile

This is what travelling is all about: finding something that makes you smile. And these "smiley faces" did. I do not know what all those pickles are but someone has had a nice idea to spread joy and succeeded.
I saw these on my current rail trip in Europe. The jars were at a stall in Budapest great market hall. Nice addition to all those stall selling paprika!

Tower

East-Berlin and Alexanderplatz - well, nowadays just Berlin, but I actually used to work in East-Berlin in 1988, approximately  a year prior to the Wall coming down. My apartment was round about here where the photo is taken from.  I went back last summer (2012) for the first time since then and managed to locate the building. It had been turned into a hotel.. (I wish all the cockroaches had died out before that). Every morning I walked around the corner and saw the TV-tower, just like in this photo. And I could swear that the Reiseburo sign was even then on the top of that tall building.

It was really interesting to stay and work in the DDR (East Germany), and that is something that no one can experience again. 

Berlin has changed a lot from those days. I really enjoyed my stay there, back then, and now, although the experience was slightly different, from many points of view.

Working on Ganges

I thought it was about time to start again, with this blog. I have so many photos that I have not looked at since I took them - and it is a shame.

Here is one again from India. This was taken in Varanasi (Benares) on the Rives Ganges in April 2012. 

It was nice to be back in Varanasi after almost 19 years! The River had not changed much, it was still dirty and holy, perhaps dirtier after all these years? The Ghats (river banks) had changed some, but I managed to find the same Inn or Hotel in which we stayed all those years ago. Back then we also took a boat ride with a young boy, much like this guy here. But there were no ads on the boats and everything was much bleaker, or so it seems now from the old photos... 

The feeling was still there.. the feeling of being in an ancient city and the feeling of elevation from so many who do believe in the magic of Varanasi and the mighty River Ganges.

Travelling

Udubi railway station somewhere between Goa and Kerala. 

Train travel in India is fun but has changed  a bit during past years. Back in the early 90's there were loads of hawkers at all the stations and on the trains selling food, drinks and what not. Now the sales people need licenses and it was not so easy to get stuff to eat... 

Trains stop at stations and there are kiosks, but you never know how long the stop lasts.. so you better take care not to miss the train whilst queueing for snacks.

Timetables seem to be more reliable now, though.. and you can book tickets online... vs trying to find the foreigners counter at strange railway station in earlier days.

I love train travel in India.

It is very interesting to look at the countryside and smaller towns when travelling. people going about their business: tending to children, animals, laundry, cooking...

Transport

This couple on a bicycle riksha was obviously on their way from a Holi party. Taken in Old Delhi, outside Jama Masjid, on the 1st of March 2010.
These bicycle rikshas are really handy on the narrow alleys of Old Delhi Market, including Chandni Chowk. Although even these rikshas get caught in "traffic" sometimes. But it is an experience to sit on one and observe the busy streets and shops with gold saris, spices, jewellery, and what ever else is there is on sale...
By the way, if you wanna experience Delhi without traffic, try Holi day. Totally surreal to travel on street normally jam packed with cars, trucks, people and rikshas and what not, and they are almost totally empty!
For those of you not familiar with Holi, it is basically a spring festival, festival of colours, people throwing colour powders, or coloured water on each other.

View

Sitting in the shade, letting warm air brush against your skin and listening to the rush of the waves... Sipping a fruit drink, shake or a beer and just enjoying! Just looking at this picture takes me there...

This picture was taken in 2007 and it has been too long! I miss Goa!

Shack

Our regular shack, Jolly Boys, in Goa, Calangute Beach. This photo was taken on New Year's Eve 2004.
Lots of memories attached to that holiday, this shack etc.
During this holiday we chose not to have breakfast at the hotel but went mostly to Jolly Boys and had banana pancakes, fruit shakes, and everything nice... Also had many lunches and dinners there.
During this particular holiday there was also the Tsunami which took so many lives even in India, but luckily did not affect the west coast. We did notice that the sea was behaving oddly, watched the horrid pics on TV and at least I formed many escape strategies in my mind for eventual similar devastation... The children took it in stride.
Friends and relatives at home were of course worried for us, but we were totally ok.
And New Year was celebrated as usual in Goa... with fire works and dances...whether this was good or bad, I do not know, but: Life goes on!