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Vagabonding
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aug. 2022 – aug. 2025

Vagabonding

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  • TakeMeFurtherReisendeVagabonding

    Hospitality

    8. mai 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I have not yet reached my stage for the day and am stopped on the road. I don't miss the invitation to meet Ali and his family and I'm already standing in front of the house and enter.

    Everything about the flat is exciting - after all, it's not every day that I get a glimpse into their private lives. As is usual in mosques, the entire floor is carpeted and shoes are left outside the door. The furnishings are sparse, in contrast to the usual European houses and flats, which seem overcrowded to me. Everything is very functional and it seems as if the practicality of things is decisive.
    The farmhouse dates back to an earlier time, as you can see from the small window frames.

    There is no furniture in the hallway - in contrast, in German hallways there is always a place for the landline telephone. Rural areas seem to have skipped this technological step and gone straight into the mobile phone age.
    There is exactly one socket in the wall in the corridor and as I will be using the translator many times today, I leave it charging. It's at chest height and the mobile phone cable doesn't quite reach the floor, so we leave it dangling and go into the kitchen.

    It has a square floor plan, an estimated 16 square metres, and I immediately notice the fire pit, which is actually in use. Next to it I discover a bag of animal dung to light the fire. In the corner are old paint buckets that now have all sorts of other contents. There is a small kitchenette with a washing machine and a sink.
    A few pictures of family members and ancestors hang on the walls and there is also a picture of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk - fitting, as he is regarded as the father of modern Turkey.

    We sit on the floor with a large tray of bread, butter, cheese, eggs and vegetables in the centre and enjoy our meal.

    Then we take Ali's electric cargo trike to his garden. He shows me all the fruits growing there and teaches me their names. We record a few videos for his social media channel.
    I'm encouraged to eat all the fruit. Everything tastes sour to bitter 😂 (especially the green almonds, of which I have only ever tasted the core in its final form).

    In the evening, I spend time with his father, who watches a bit of telly with me. Wow. I don't understand the language, but pictures are worth a thousand words. In Germany, some things are not shown in too much detail for good reasons, but for this news channel there's no stopping a motorbike accident being shown. The video is too short, the narrator hasn't finished yet. So it is shown again. Then again in slow motion.
    In case anyone missed it, the accident is shown again, enlarged and with a huge arrow so that nobody misses the impact. 😐

    Then the family arrives and we sit together on the floor in the large living room and eat. A large dining cloth is spread out again and there are lots of small bowls of goodies, bread and soup, vegetables and the familiar green almonds, which taste much better with a little salt.
    We have a great evening (especially with Cemi, the local imam, who could also pass for a comedian with his witty manner). 🤭

    I feel like part of the family - and as I lie in bed in the guest room, my eyes quickly fall shut after this eventful day.    Les mer

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    The bee-eaters of Burdur

    4. mai 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Well, well - it can be fun in the big cities after all! Burdur definitely deserves a few more days of attention. The place I found by the lake is teeming with rare and common birds and is a beautiful piece of nature. Here I come across the bee-eater, which has long been on my ornithological wish list. A beautiful animal.
    Near the town hall, I enter Mustafa's café and find a great place to work and watch the local Rummikub games at the same time 😀
    Next door is Hassan's snack bar, which conjures up a delicious breakfast for me, and I have a great chat with him.
    A few days go by - I pack up the tent in the morning, eat breakfast, and commute to work in the city. I work there for a few hours, have a chat, pack up, do the shopping, and roll back to a spot by the lake.
    One day, Hakan, Hassan's brother, comes up to me and taps me on the shoulder. He holds out his cell phone to me and I read: "Aren't you tired?"
    He taps his cell phone again: "Why don't you go for a walk? There's a park over there. Take a break and after that, you'll have new thoughts again." Wow. I take this tip - and also his later tips
    for other places of interest - with thanks.

    Another day, Hassan and his son help me to organize a great tablet within a few hours. The next day, I sit down with the salesman who helps me set it up. We have a small breakfast with tea and while I familiarize myself with the device, he is available to answer any questions and reads a bit of my travel blog =D
    I haven't had such a relaxed purchase in a long time - cheers to this Ottoman business tradition.

    It's time for me to move on and Hassan wants to prepare another breakfast for me tomorrow. "I'll fry some meat for you." ( he knows I'm a vegetarian )
    I reply: "Okay - hide it under the eggs and in the vegetables" - and we both laugh.    Les mer

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  • TakeMeFurtherReisendeVagabonding

    Short Stopover in Çeltek

    1. mai 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    I've already swept past the café when I hear a friendly 'Merhaba!' from behind and, after a U-turn, sit down with the gentlemen drinking tea on the veranda.
    Among them is the muhtar, the head of the village community.
    We have an interesting conversation and at the end I take a nut hammer with me as a souvenir - the hospitality here is amazing!    Les mer

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  • TakeMeFurtherReisendeVagabonding

    Three days of Highlights

    26. april 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The forest of Karamanlı is exactly what I was looking for: an oasis of peace, a patch of nature and not too far from the city. Today I set up camp for the next few days and will be working a lot again.

    Day 1
    I roll into town. According to Openstreetmap, the place is a wasteland - not even the streets are correctly mapped, not to mention the supermarkets, banks and restaurants. Perfect for me, as there's a good chance that no tourists will stray here.
    I mark a few important points on the map and look for a place to work. I quickly find a café in the centre, but it doesn't look quite right - it's almost a bit too new and I'm looking for something more shabby, some small place with two or three tables or something. Well, after all there are tables with Rummicub all over the room so I stay.
    The first Çay is quickly ordered and a table is placed against the wall with the power socket. Here we go!

    The heavy bike in front of the door is a real eye-catcher here and I watch the prospective customers with amusement from my vantage point.
    Every now and then I am greeted in a friendly manner, approached a few times and then invited for tea. At first we exchange only with a translator, then Mustafa joins me and we switch to English.

    People come and go and are briefed, followed by countless rounds of Çay. I feel really involved, almost like being with friends. In the evening, I give a little guitar concert and then explain that I'm going to disappear into the forest to spend the night, which is greeted with amusement by the crowd.

    Day 2
    I enter the café. Hamdi, the owner, is delighted and arrives with the first cup of tea. He asks if the night in the forest was good. 😄
    I work while Ali, the café owner's father, pushes his grandson around the room on his tricycle.
    In the early afternoon, most of yesterday's group are back again.
    The boys teach me a new version of Rummicub and one Çay follows the next (you have to know that the glasses are really small!).
    In the evening, I set off again - some of them start giggling again because I'm going into the forest - and one of them warns me about the wild boars. I take the warning in my stride and reply that I usually go through the forest singing so that the animals notice me. General laughter follows. 😄
    The sun has been gone for a while and I only reach the edge of the forest in the twilight. I can just see a few small ones and two fairly large shadows and hear the animals panting. 😨
    I slowly hurry backwards and continue to sing - for the pigs and myself.

    Day 3
    Today is anything-can-happen day. It's not something I decide - it just happens - the great experiences often come all together.
    Today I HAVE to do laundry. The trousers already smell a lot like a cuddled street dog and there are hardly any unworn textiles left.
    So in the morning I wash the clothes by hand, hang them up in the woods and drive into town.

    There, I am welcomed by Hamdi with the first Çay and get to work.
    The teacher Musa comes into the café and shows me round his school. He shows me the staff room, the meeting room and introduces me to his colleagues and then - the absolute highlight - to his class. The kids are just as excited as I am and are simply beaming. It's a great feeling to stand in front of such a group of young people. If I had more language skills now... that would be great.

    We are back in Hamdis Té. The clientele has changed once and new conversations arise. Mustafa comes by and we take a trip to the reservoir and skip stones.
    In the distance, you can see the cut-up hilltops that now characterise this region. Marble has been mined here for a few years now. Some companies have bought the mining rights and are now cutting the precious stone from the rocks - to the detriment of agriculture and the inhabitants.

    We sit back down at a table in Hamdi's establishment, the hub of activity here in Karamanlı. A new face joins the group: Mori, an energetic farmer, wants to show me his land - and off we go.
    We drive along the country lanes in his old Ford Transit and he tells me about the crops he grows and shows me how his fields are irrigated. He offers me a cigarette, which I refuse as a non-smoker.
    Musa explains to him in Turkish that I am also a vegetarian.
    I add: "Ben eğlencenin freniyim", which means something like:
    "I'm the buzzkill."
    We all laugh.    Les mer

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    Beyköy, Turkey

    20. april 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    I actually wanted to go to a different Beyköy, namely the smallest village in the region with only 25 inhabitants. The Beyköy I ended up in even has two cafés, making it far too urban for my taste. 😤
    I give it a go and order a çay while I make a note of my recent experiences in my diary.
    Ha! It takes less than 10 minutes before I'm involved in the first conversation. 👍

    "Bonjour monsieur" someone calls over to me. 😳
    In no time at all, I'm sitting at the next table and the Çay loosens our tongues. The conversation picks up even more speed when Ali, who lives in Stuttgart and speaks German, joins us. A short stay turns into a two-hour conversation and my desire to master the language better for my next visit grows 😊.    Les mer

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    At Emin's in Seki

    19. april 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Before the trip, I read 'Vagabonding' by Rolf Potts, who has travelled to many countries as a travel writer. The book gave me some inspiration for what travelling can feel like: wild, unplanned, adventurous, off the beaten track, full of surprises.
    It was my desire to immerse myself a little in foreign cultures, to interact with others, to connect with other people in a short space of time.

    I have not yet managed to create this adventurous feeling reliably and permanently, but in recent months I have managed to do so more often and the more foreign the cultures become, the greater the chances of exciting encounters.
    The key to this is travelling with enough time, with an open mind, with little planning and off the beaten track. (I believe total immersion in the adventure also requires leaving out all kinds of distractions and 'anchoring': If one were to forgo books, music, contact with friends and everything familiar it would be true immersion).

    Now I've ended up here in this small mountain village called Seki. The village is 60 kilometres from Fethiye in the mountains. There's not much here and life seems to be centred around the village square.
    I'm the only non-Turkish person here and I think it's great. My English doesn't help me any more and when I order something I never know 100% whether I'll get what I want. 🤷‍♂️
    I go to Emins Té every morning. It's not really called a café, as 99% of the drinks served are tea, so I call the shop Té in reference to the cafés that serve coffee.
    I am greeted with curiosity, work a little and watch the older men play Rummikub. (I never thought it would be so easy to find a games café).
    It won't be long before I'm playing a few rounds myself. 👍

    There are old Renault 12s and light Mondial motorbikes driving around on the roads. The Renaults were built in the early 70s and the Mondials look like they could be from the 80s. Today someone drove into the café on his tractor.... 😂

    From nightfall onwards, I hear nothing. Nothing? Well, there's this one nightingale that sings the whole night through for me.
    Instead of sheep I count her verses. 🎶    Les mer

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  • TakeMeFurtherReisendeVagabonding
    Sometimes it is better not to show the inclination1Found two penguins. Haha ☺️1

    Out of the city and into the green

    18. april 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    I've been working since Jolanda and Andreas left. I went to the same café in the morning, worked there for hours, drank coffee and listened to music. I returned to my standard sleeping place in the evening and started all over again the next day. How boring. 😮‍💨
    Today I set off spontaneously after work. After a quick shop and without much preparation, I chose the route into the mountains that promised the least amount of tourism.

    After the first 20 minutes outside the city, I'm back in the adventure. everything is new, everything is strange. I discover unknown terrain and am later rewarded with a great spot by a stream that really refreshes me. 💦

    In the evening, I try my best to keep the nearby ant colony from working. They are still very busy after dark and I try to break the will of the collective with mulberries raining down from the sky. Take that! 🍇    Les mer

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    Visiting the Hamam

    10. april 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Our time together with Jolanda and Andreas is coming to an end and we round off this section with a visit to the hamam. This is the first time for all of us and fortunately we are guided through the procedure by professional hands. Out of ignorance, luck or a lack of alternatives, we visit the hamam on the last remaining day for the two of them, which coincides with the Eid at the end of Ramadan. We are looked after by the master almost alone. ✌️

    Once you've experienced the procedure for yourself, every step suddenly makes sense, but during my previous research I was quite confused by the many steps, to say the least. My compulsion not to be unpleasant almost tempted me to memorise the sequence in order to be prepared.📚

    Without a list, the three of us sit here in the steam sauna. I'm almost a little cold, because I'm used to saunas at around 90 degrees from my family and it's much cooler here. On the other hand, the minty scent really tweaks your eyes 🥹

    Andy is the first to go and is led to the centre of the room. He is then scrubbed and soaped up. The master swings this giant cushion in the air and then squeezes it over Andy, who largely disappears in a bubble of foam. Somehow the master's hands find Andy, who is now thoroughly scrubbed.
    His hair is then washed.
    Luckily, he wasn't quizzed, so I don't have anything to worry about without a to-do-list. 😅

    I will remember the soaping in particular. It feels like being tickled by a cloud.    Les mer

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    Hiking the Lieschen trail

    7. april 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Tam da sıkıcı olmaya başlamıştı ki Split'ten Jolanda ve Andreas ile tanıştım - aslında İsviçreliler ama onları Split'te tanıdım.

    Oh - so sorry, I forgot that the blog is written in English 🤭

    I was about to get bored just before I met Jolanda and Andreas from Split - they're actually from Switzerland, but I got to know them in Split. They are doing workaways on their trip, i.e. they volunteer for board and lodging in various projects.
    Their next travel project is the Lycian Trail, which they plan to hike over the next few days. And as I'm always happy when someone takes on responsibility, I just tagged along. 😊
    I don't have to plan anything, they've already done that. I get to sit back, relax and make silly comments from the second row. 👍

    The route runs along the coast and stretches over 500 kilometres. In between are the butterfly valley, the blue lagoon and lots of nature.
    We were also able to experience flawless tourist areas, so we got the whole package. 😁

    The real highlight was finding a truly magical waterfall in the middle of the forest. In front of the waterfall, the water collected in a natural pool in which we took a dip. 💦 The forest was a little lighter here and was framed by mountain slopes to the left and right. What didn't quite fit into the idyllic picture was the group of young Turks who had turned this place into their training camp. 😅
    Exercise music drifts through the forest and one of the boys was eager to organise his power workout. 💪

    I will remember this trip for a long time. We reminisced about campfires, messing around together, identifying star signs and birds.    Les mer

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    Pyrospectacle at the Barber

    2. april 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I have an important job to do today: I have to get rid of my hair. 🧑‍🦱

    I went to the hairdresser and was kindly informed that they only serve ladies. (Small but subtle difference here: Men go to the barber, women to the kuaför).
    I was kindly escorted to the nearest barber. There I had a Çai and then we got down to business. It was quite an experience.
    I briefly explained what kind of hairstyle I wanted and the boss got started.
    My hair was washed, then cut. He asked if I wanted the beard off.
    - No, thank you.
    Should it be shortened?
    Now I had the feeling that he didn't want to let me go half-done and wild, so I agreed to the shave.
    He rubbed his hands together and the magic began.

    The first step was to apply the foam. A great feeling, it was really fine and soft and the first experience of this kind for me. He started with the knife, often taking some skin between two fingers to tighten the skin for cutting. So he tugged at my facial muscles and in no time the beard was off.

    Then he applied a soothing after-shave lotion, which was rinsed off after a short time. I was bent over again and his hands ran over my face to wash everything off. In his tight grip with his hand in my face I felt like a child again being washed by my parents 😜.
    I leant back and he dried my face.
    I had taken my glasses off so I couldn't see clearly what he was preparing behind me.

    Two cotton wool balls were plucked up and he cleaned my ears in one swift movement. 😮
    I hadn't gotten over it yet when he was already preparing the next stage of escalation. I squinted my eyes to see it better: A wooden stick with...
    Whatever it was - now the thing in his hand was on fire 🔥!

    He held my head with one hand and with the other he flicked the burning cotton wool into my face with a wooden stick.
    The whole thing must have looked pretty funny from the outside, but I had to pull myself together - at least in my head it looked funny.
    After the fire bath, a soothing cream was applied and a little gel was put in my hair.

    His hand massaged my neck, then my spine, then my arms and finally my hands, which he pulled on briefly until my fingers cracked.
    Now he was done. And I was feeling like a newborn.

    What a show! It's even worth coming back with snacks and watching the show! 🍿    Les mer

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    A pottpurri of impressions

    31. mars 2024, Tyrkia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    That was probably the second most relaxed of all my border crossings so far. I'm standing between all the other passengers with my heavily laden bike, blocking the aisle of the small customs building.
    The man at the X-ray machine kindly asks me to put the large black bag and then any other bag of my choice on the conveyor belt. 🤭

    I actually wanted to find an official campsite, but they have all closed and I get the impression that everyone is very relaxed, so I camp wildly on the first night. ⛺️

    Over the next few days I wonder what happened to Ramadan. Exactly a year ago, I used to hide away to eat and drink in Morocco, but Ramadan doesn't seem to be such a strict affair here.

    The first chant of the Muezzin in the morning wakes me and also positive emotions and memories of my time in Morocco. It males me feel safe somehow.

    In the first few days, I gain a lot of impressions.
    Now I can finally say that I drank tea from an ekoçai 201!!
    There's one thing that brings tears to my eyes here: the pollen flying around 🤧    Les mer

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    Mátala (Tourist Trap!)

    28. mars 2024, Hellas ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Mátala is one of those places where something cool once happened and has been mercilessly exploited ever since.
    In the 60s/70s, the small fishing village was a magnet for hippies who lived in caves from Neolithic times.
    There is certainly not much of the original charm left, as there are now 3 shops for every cave and so the small village is teeming with restaurants, souvenir shops, cafés and the like. Naturally, admission is charged to visit the caves. Even the supermarket has adapted its prices to tourism and charges a hefty surcharge for the goods. 😱

    Now I can at least count myself among the travellers who can say: "I 'did it'." .
    I was there, I took photos and then left again. It took me about 15 minutes in total, but I sacrificed 170 metres in altitude 😭

    bye bye 👋    Les mer

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    Hinterland Experiences

    25. mars 2024, Hellas ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    The day starts well with breakfast in my wind-protected guardhouse. 🏰

    The first hills soon appear, but overall it's easy to make it to Plakias. There, a children's parade passes me accompanied by marching music. They are all dressed in traditional costumes and try to walk in step. It seems strange. Today is the national holiday of liberation from the Ottomans.

    A little further on, I catch a glimpse of a heron sunbathing. That makes for some great motifs 📸

    The next highlight (or low light?) is the Preveli palm beach. 🌴
    I don't understand where exactly the path runs through the palm trees and how it can be used, as there are prohibition signs with ambiguous statements on both sides of the river. 😵‍💫 The right side of the river looks unkempt and points to the left side of the river, the left side of the river is under water and even more unsightly.
    1/7 points for Gryffindor.
    I'm still taking photos and am about to turn back when three geese get in my way and want a piece of my apple. They threaten me with their necks stretched out and slowly come closer. The biggest one keeps nipping at me to get something and I feel like I did back in the school playground. They get something and I take advantage of a moment of their inattention to slip away.

    We go up more hills. Somewhere on a bend, a daring crab sits on the carriageway. When it sees me, it raises its claws to fight. I carry it to safety and build it a stone cave where it can hide and think about its life.

    Then there are another 1000 mountains and journeys through small mountain villages through which hardly any cars dare to pass: Drimiskos - it's a dead zone. Time stands still, not a soul to be seen. The alleyways are narrow and unclear, everything is a bit crooked. As I have now broken through the cloud cover, the town is still shrouded in fog and the feeling of loneliness intensifies. Feelings like in Silent Hill come up. I do come across one or two people. At the end of the village, a flock of sheep is eagerly waiting for me and comes trotting up bleating. These are actually the first sheep that don't immediately run away from me. 🤗
    I'm sure they haven't seen anyone else today and are happy to have company.
    With their yellow fur, they look quite friendly and sniff at my hand.

    In the evening, I camp on an old bridge directly over a river. I hear all kinds of animal noises, something I haven't had for a long time. A little paradise. 🥰    Les mer

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    Vacation on the beach

    24. mars 2024, Hellas ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    I’ve got so much time today.
    I spend the first half of the day half dozing, half reading in the sun. My clothing is dangling on the washing line.
    I doze off again. 😴

    In the afternoon, I round off the exhausting day with a slice of chocolate cake and watch the hustle and bustle.
    Outside, warty ducks are having fun on the café terrace. The owner comes out every few minutes and kindly drives them away. He shoos them around the corner, which is less than ten metres. As soon as he turns round, these disrespectful creatures do the same and waddle back outside the café. I watch the scene about ten times before packing up my things. Meanwhile, the endless cycle begins again.
    Luxury for today: there's a strong wind but I've found an abandoned room that gives me shelter. If someone had told me five years ago that I would one day finish my studies and then be happy to sleep in an abandoned house with no door - I would have found it hard to believe. But here we are. 😁    Les mer

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    Kares Askyfou

    23. mars 2024, Hellas ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Oh boy, my legs are untrained again. I've been crawling up this hill for two hours and stopped so often, even though the gradient isn't really that steep. A podcast provides me with a distraction, which makes it fun even if I‘m crawling along at walking pace. 😬

    In Kares Askyfou I roll over the ridge and see a wide plateau in front of me. I stop off at the Panorama Café and enjoy the altitude I've gained with a homemade cake dripping with honey. It replenishes my energy reserves in no time and I swing back into the saddle of my trusty steed.

    Then we ride down the hairpin bends while the views remain fantastic. 🚴‍♂️💨

    If you have the feeling that the Balkans are dangerous, please have a look at the road sign in the gallery. I’ve seen many holes in many signs so far. 🫣
    Maybe that’s why the geese are so happy here, or at least that’s what I gather from their behaviour. 🤨    Les mer

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    14 days in Chania

    5. mars 2024, Hellas ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    It's amazing - the two weeks here fly by and every few days there's a new connection or activity. While working in the hostel, I meet Theo, who takes me into the mountains and gives me an insight into Cretan cuisine. We share dishes of eggplants, mushrooms and bread and everything tastes so delicious. 🥰
    Sated, we drive through the mountains in his silver-grey speedster and I enjoy the view without having to work for it on my bike. 😊 Shortly before sunset, we have a coffee with a view over Souda Bay.

    I meet up again with Tim and Jonas, the two German cycle travellers, for a coffee party on the beach. There is coffee, cake and some nice trash music about having coffee and cake with friends.
    And we scrabble. 🤓

    A few days later, I'm sitting at a snack bar in the pedestrian zone and squint at a huge poster of a ship hanging in the foyer of the building across the street. It's the municipal art gallery. My interest draws me to the entrance area of the building. There, Anthony and his colleague tell me that there is no exhibition on at the moment, so they can only show me a short slideshow of the most important works rather than actual paintings.

    We quickly deepen the conversation over a coffee and shortly afterwards I'm sitting with Anthony in a local restaurant having a lesson in Greek - covering the culture, the alphabet and pronunciation. I finally pass the final test when I toast the mayor of Chania, who had bought us a lemonade shortly beforehand. What a day!

    Today, 18th March, is "Kathara Deftera" in Greece, the "pure Monday", which corresponds to the German Rosenmontag. Now the fasting period begins, which is supposed to cleanse the body and soul. People everywhere are enjoying the good weather and time with their families and friends and flying kites 🪁. My programme starts earlier this morning because I want to run the first few kilometres of the day along the beach and harbour promenade with the local jogging group (I don't miss out on the unique invitation to the event).
    In the afternoon, I organise a 'small' excursion with my flatmates to a festival 'a few beaches away'. We hike and hike and hike and ... the festival seems like a mirage on the horizon and always one bay away. 😜 My hunger comes and goes, but the pleasant conversations with the other travellers make the time pass quickly. We finally arrive and have to watch as the last remnants of the traditional lentil soup are scraped out of the pots and distributed right before our eyes. With a sad look on her face, the nice lady behind the counter explains that unfortunately there is nothing left for us. 🤷‍♀️
    I briefly peer into one of the pots and if I had my silicone scraper with me, I could easily scoop three more meals out of the large pots. 😋
    We find another beautiful rocky bay and jump into the water. It's pleasant as long as I keep moving and yet - my whole body is shaking as I try to get back to land ten minutes later. I never thought I would be so sensitive to the cold. A sunbath warms me up again and then we hike back through the countryside, past wild thyme and a few other plants that I can't identify.
    As the sun sets, you can still see some of the hexagonal kites in the sky.
    The memory is still vivid the next day because I can feel every muscle. 😇    Les mer

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    Elafonisi Beach

    4. mars 2024, Hellas ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    The route through the mountains is long but fun. Nobody else is likely to get here - especially not by bike - Komoot once again finds the craziest routes. 👍
    In one of the mountains along the way is the Cave of Saint Sofia - or the Cave of God's Wisdom. My assumption that this may be just a small niche in the rock is dispelled when I see its dimensions.

    There are several stalagmites in the centre, estimated to be around five metres high.
    Arrows to the left indicate a circular route. Here we go.
    First stop: a small hut on the edge of the cave. The dark little room doesn't exactly inspire confidence, but I guess no one is going to hurt me in this religious site.
    I continue the walk behind the stalagmites and a little deeper into the cave. It's pitch dark here and it takes me about three minutes to get round. Back at the entrance, I realise that the tour really was longer than I thought.

    Elafonisi Beach wasn't really pink, just a little bit. The colour has to build up again.
    On the beach I meet up with Amelie and Olivia again, who I had already bumped into in Chania. Because it's almost sunset time I have to get going again as the best spots in the forest are probably already taken.

    The evening and night are very windy. I'm at the riverbed and at first I have trouble putting up the tent and then it's not so pleasant inside. I'm constantly worried that the tarpaulin will tear and as soon as I've calmed down, a strong gust of wind comes and pushes the fabric into my face. 😑    Les mer

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    Balos Beach

    3. mars 2024, Hellas ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Today's programme: a trip to Balos beach and its lagoon.
    I fight my way along a really good gravel track to the upper part of the headland.
    My plan to spend the night up there is thwarted by the signs prohibiting everything - there's no room for interpretation in case of a discussion. 😬
    This leaves me a little less time to marvel - but it's enough. The view is extraordinarily good.
    The colour scheme at this location couldn't be more beautiful: you walk along a path of ochre-coloured sand with small blue stones. Small green bushes grow to the left and right of the path. Then you can see the lagoon with its turquoise blue water and the island behind it, which rises out of the water with rich grey rocks.

    In the evening I quickly find a nice place to sleep on the beach in a well-preserved garden. 🥰    Les mer

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    Chania

    2. mars 2024, Hellas ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Straight from the ferry, I pop into a café for a hearty breakfast.
    Then I roll through the town. While visiting the weekly market, it suddenly starts to rain and I seek shelter in a café.
    I sit there briefly until two smiling faces peek out from behind an umbrella and introduce themselves as Tim and Jonas. They are also travelling on bikes, but are working here for the next few months.
    Shortly afterwards, two more persons join us and we have a great chat.
    Wow - I've only had this much contact in Athens after two(?) weeks - the small towns are really lively.

    I spend the afternoon with Tim and Jonas and then we head west for a little while, where Balos Beach and its lagoon are already waiting for me.    Les mer

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    A sea voyage is fun

    1. mars 2024, Aegean Sea ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    The crossing to Crete goes as expected. I grab one of the remaining seats and fill it with my stuff.
    The good seats are already gone, a couple of professional ferry guests must have been here much earlier to reserve the couches they are now watching over. Unlike me, they certainly didn't have to ask three other cutters if this was the right boat to take you to the new world. ^^
    Sleeping cabins cost a lot more, so only a few people treat themselves to this luxury and most are content to spend the night on the ferry in one of the armchairs.
    During an overnight crossing on a ship like this, you can carry out all kinds of sociological and psychological studies. I watch with fascination how everyone copes with the situation of limited bedding options and what solutions are worked out for this problem.
    I remember the film Men in Black, in which they are looking for new recruits for an agent position. The selection process includes a written test for which the candidates are given a sharp but fragile pencil and taken to a completely unsuitable room that offers all applicants only a single small table to write on.
    In analogy to the situation on the ferry, the environment is also rather unsuitable for sleeping and so you find only a few people on the cosy couches and the majority in a more upright position in an armchair, some in two armchairs, a few on the floor.
    It's interesting that the ferry companies know that their cabins are comparatively expensive and that most passengers will simply fall asleep in the lounges - but they wouldn't dream of making the seating more suitable for sleeping. Without exception, all the armchairs and chairs have backrests and comparisons with cities and municipalities that use the same strategy to try and displace their homeless people come to mind.
    It is now 11 pm. We've been on the road for two hours and the guests are starting to feel tired. Everyone? Not at all! For one elderly fellow, whom I'll call Rudi, the evening is only just beginning. He sets up his music system and begins to enthral the room with cultural music.
    Some travellers - myself included - keep glancing over at Rudi and then at the waiters who should be concerned that everybody in the room feels comfortable. But instead of telling Rudi to be quiet and sensible, they have a nice chat with him.
    A group of people starts dancing and I suspect that there is a solid reason to celebrate that I don't know about. To avoid disturbing the party and still get some rest, I move to another room.
    In the end, I find a fairly comfortable construction of three chairs, which serves as my bed for the night. The designers hadn't reckoned on me being able to squeeze myself snake-like under the armrests. HA!    Les mer

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    Kalambaka (Meteora)

    23. februar 2024, Hellas ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    The monasteries of Meteora were highly recommended to me last year. Geographically, the rock formations there are similar to the German Elbe Sandstone Mountains - but the orthodox monks in the 14th century improved that and crowned the rocky peaks with monasteries. :O
    Initially, the monasteries were so inaccessible that they could only be reached by rope ladders, but older monks were lucky enough to be hoisted up with the goods lift. It wasn't until the 1930s that stone steps were built, making the monastery accessible to tourists.

    I hike to the three monasteries of the Holy Trinity, Varlaam and St Stephen. In between, I climb the rocks against the spectacular backdrop of the deep plain below me. Fond memories of my time in nature come flooding back. Since mid-December, I have been spending time in big cities and I feel that nature needs to take up more space again in the coming months.
    Soon there will be that time again. :)

    Unfortunately, it is forbidden to take photos inside the monasteries and the interpretation of the Orthodox icon paintings remains a mystery to me, but I really like the way the paintings are painted because of their colourful expression.
    I walk through the rooms like a blind chicken and look at the paintings without knowing their history. A severed head here, severed limbs there - ah yes, you can't seem to get by without violence. But it seems to have its righteousness, because everyone in the painting looks quite happy - with the exception of the decapitated man, who has a sad expression on his face.
    I prefer to concentrate on the type of painting.

    During my later research, I find out a few basics about the production and technique of the icons: a special process is necessary to ensure that the paintings remain true to colour for a long time.
    The surface to be painted (walls, marble, wood) is first primed with several layers of gesso so that the colour can penetrate deep enough. This is then finely polished. The colours are mixed together using colour pigments and egg yolk, which has been known since ancient times as a super binder and makes the colours seemingly incredibly long-lasting. The paintings are then created using the colours and gold leaf.

    Icons are intended to show a window to the divine and are therefore not an image of the real thing. They dispense with perspective, shadows and typical (earthly) lighting rules and reduce the motif to the essentials.

    Adam - a traveller from South Africa - says over a glass of red wine in the evening "The monasteries here are great, but when I saw the Lidl I was happy. I know exactly what I'm getting. And then raves for a long time about the regional sweets you can buy there. =)    Les mer

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    Christmas in Germany

    18. desember 2023, Hellas ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    North, east, south or west - at home I feel the best - or am I?

    No matter where I am - it would be the wrong place. I don't feel comfortable in my own skin and oscillate between the need for peace and quiet and the need for distraction.
    Lying in the sun on a beautiful island somewhere would be the right thing to do, but it's not possible at the moment.
    The decision is made: I'm travelling to Germany (the bike stays in Athens with a trustworthy bike dealer).
    The weather back home is particularly troublesome for me, because in Greece I at least had sunshine every now and then. 😬
    I spend time with my nieces and my godchildren. We like to play hide and seek - but I'll probably teach her how to find the really good hiding places in the future ;)

    So the days go by and slowly, very slowly I feel better - not that the time with the family isn't nice, but my typical everyday life has changed.
    I have changed.
    I no longer fit into the old life I left behind and I'm finding it difficult to fit back into my old surroundings. One evening I attend an international meeting in Berlin to socialise more with strangers - strange as it may sound - but that's what I enjoy now.

    Two family events lead to me extending my stay and finally returning to Athens at the beginning of February.    Les mer

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    Athens socializing

    15. desember 2023, Hellas ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    There is said to have been an inside joke in the 90s :
    'What is the capital of Albania? - Omonoia. At the time this was
    a reference to the large proportion of Albanian residents in the Athens neighbourhood.
    A few hundred metres from the metro station, my hostel is in the middle of a district that reminds me more of Morocco: the pavements are rather worn, there are vegetable vendors lined up next to snack stalls and electronic accessory shops - all selling the same thing. How do the mobile phone case shops that have recently appeared actually earn their money? Surely the profits from plastic covers shouldn't be that high?
    Actually, I feel comfortable here despite the dingy impression and I've had very good experiences with Moroccans and Albanians so far anyway. ☺️
    Walking through the neighbourhoods, I try to formulate my impressions. There are gaps here and there in the rows of houses. Destroyed houses fall into disrepair next to new buildings, here and there you can simply look into the cellars of the houses or climb in. There are pavements in some neighbourhoods, but they are not always narrow. You then take to the streets.
    The nearby meat market fulfils my expectations: here you can see fish on ice, sheep without ice (without skin) and everything in between.

    Building here must be quite expensive - if you have to reckon with an ancient building being uncovered at any time when digging the cellar and the house either having to be built on stilts or losing part of its footprint.
    Some buildings seem to adapt to the ruins and have been built around and on top of them - old and new coexist.

    I search for peace and quiet here for a long time - and rarely find it. The sound of the many cars and scooters penetrates every alleyway and mixes into a permanent background noise that I try to escape. Without pads in my ears, I am stressed.
    I finally escape to the city's parks and find a good jogging route, which also gives me a good view of the city.

    In the hostels, I change my strategy and now often talk to new people - unlike at the beginning of my trip, when I was just starting out.
    In contrast to the beginning of my trip, when I travelled through the country for a long time with almost no contact 😃. It's also nice to socialise and that's how I get to know Jonas and Ashley. Together we explore several exit rooms - first on the trail of an investigator in a haunted house, then in a psychiatric institution (with actors) and finally we brew the elixir of life.

    In the evening, I sit together with Napoleon, Cinderella, Princess Tiana, Mr Addams and Mia Khalifa in the games cafe and play charades.
    During our group self-discovery, we also exchange cultural idiosyncrasies and get on really well.    Les mer

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    At the Gulf of Korinth

    14. desember 2023, Hellas ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    I stand on a rock and look out over the Gulf of Corinth, the sun's rays reflected in its steel-blue waters. A few fishing boats have cast their nets and are dancing on the waves. I can see small and large islands in the distance and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.

    I'm carrying my bike on my shoulders and anyone who could see me now would think I'd had enough of cycling and was about to throw it into the ocean. In fact, I briefly toy with the idea and smile to myself, then carry it down to the beach and put it back together again.
    Yesterday evening I had chosen a nice beach to spend the night, but it was too uncomfortable for an overnight stay. At the end of the beach, I found a small path that led up a hill with a beautiful view over the water.
    I also got used to the express train to Athens, which rushed past every 90 minutes or so 🙂    Les mer

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