Pack Your Luggage

Tallinn impressions

2012-02-27T09:08:00.004+02:00

Join the site on FB

2012-02-26T14:40:00.002+02:00

Dear Friends, if you want to get updated about the new posts and see what inspires me right now join the site on Facebook. I added a plug-in to the top of the right sidebar. Here if you click on "Like" you can follow me also on Facebook.

TRAVEL PLAN 8: Copenhagen (Denmark)

2012-02-20T21:29:00.003+02:00

Moten Jerihau: Rooftops of Copenhagen (Source: http://www.copenhagenmediacenter.com/CMC.aspx#/photo/1285)

up to date info on the web: http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/ and http://www.copenhagen.com/
Copenhagen metro-system info in English: http://intl.m.dk/ and general public transportation info on the web: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g189541-s303/Copenhagen:Denmark:Public.Transportation.html
Copenhagen Journey Planner in English: http://www.rejseplanen.dk/bin/query.exe/en

My friend Gosia says about Copenhagen: "Copenhagen is surely one of the coolest cities in Europe. Visit in Carlsberg brewery is a must. Royal Castle was interesting too. Going north to Helsingor to visit "Hamlet`s castle Kronoborg is also worth a try. List of interesting sights goes on and on. And there are loads of great design stores!I`m sure you (me and you as well) will fall in love with that place (- I am sure too). oh, and the unnamed metro is super cool too. I love Copenhagen!"

Here you find a really cool video what my university-friend Kinga suggested to me. She is living in Copenhagen and this video was made by a bunch of creative people living in the Nørrebro district.

Kinga was also suggesting to mention some of the famous Danish people, so here you go. To the group of the famous Danish people belongs for example: Hans Christian Andersen, Mærsk, Lars Von Trier, Suzanne Bier, Arne Jacobsen, Karen Blixen and Niels Bohr.

Best months to visit according to Kinga: May-July

BIG THANKS FOR GOSIA AND KINGA FOR THE TIPS!

Sights

1. Nyhavn

Facts and History: Nyhavn is a 17th century canal, waterfront and entertainment district. This is the scene what you can see most often on the Copenhagen-postcards with its colorful houses, bars and cafes. One interesting fact is that it was constructed by Swedish war prisoners, ships handled cargo and fishermen`s catch and it was sort of red light district that time. There is a Memorial Anchor at the end of Nyhavn which is commemorating the Danish soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Worl War II.
How to get here: Kongens Nytrov metor station is located at the end of Nyhavn. The copanhagen Harbour busses take you more closer to the center of Nyhavn, Routes 901, 902, 903 and 904 stop close to the Royal Playhouse (nice modern building of the Royal Danish Theater).

2. Little Mermaid

Facts and History: It is a Copenhagen icon and a main tourist attraction, based on the name of the same fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen. The statue was commissioned by the founder of Carlsberg, Carl Jacobsen in 1909. They asked Ellen Price, a primaballerina of the Copenhagen Royal Theater to model for the statue. They transported it for the 2010 Shanghai Expo to represent Copenhagen, but it is back already.
How to get here: go to Copenhagen Harbor, in Nyhavn district.

3. Amalienborg Palace

Facts and History: It is the winter home of the Danish Royal Family and said to be one of the greatest works of Danish architecture. Because Denmark has a Royal Family,yes. The Danish Royals Guards are marching on the street at 11:30 am daily, and the exchange of guards is at 12 am at the Amalienborg Palace.
More info on the Palace and the Danish Royal Family under: http://kongehuset.dk/english/palaces/amalienborg

How to get here: Metro Line 1 or 2 Kongens Nytorv stop, Bus Line 15 Fredericagade/Bredgade

4. The Castle Ruins (Ruinerne under Christiansborg)

Facts and History: When the present Castle was constructed the National Museum committed to excavate and protect the ruins of the Palaces`s older predecessors. Construction workers found the ruins by accident and it turned out that they dated back that far as 1167. For people like me who like archaeological places it is definitely a must to see sight.

How to get here: http://www.christiansborgslot.dk/en/FindVej.aspx
Entrance fee to the Ruins: Adult 40 DKK, Student 30 DKK, Child (ages 7 to 14) 20 DKK, Groups (more than 10 persons) 30 DKK, School class 500 DKK. They offer also guided tours.
Opening hours: http://www.christiansborgslot.dk/en/Aabningstider.aspx

5. Kronoborg Castle

Facts and History: the castle from Shakespeare`s play Hamlet (!)

How to get here: Busses 340, 388 and 840
Opening hours: info at http://www.kronborgcastle.com/en/Aabningstider.aspx
Entrance fee: there is different ticket combinations, but the Ticket 1 costs 95 DKK for Adults, 70 DKK for Children between 15-18 years and 25 DKK for Children between 6-14 years

6. Danish Design Center

How to get here: Busses 1a, 15; Train (S-tog): Osterport, Metro: Kongens Nytorv
Entrance fee: Adults 75 DKK/ Children under 18 years: Free. Groups/min 10 person: 50 DKK. Free admission to Design Studio, library, garden, café and museum shop. You can buy your card with bank card and pay with EUR.
Opening hours: from February 14th 2012 Tue-Sun 11 am-5 pm, Wednesdays until 9 pm, Mondays closed

7. Botanical Garden (Botanisk Have)

Facts and History: I like botanical gardens in general a lot. The Botanical Garden of Copenhagen is situated in the hearth of the city. You can find here the Natural History Museum, Geological Museum and the Zoological Museum here as well.

How to get here: Nørreport S-Train/ Metro stop

More info: snm@snm.ku.dk.
Opening hours: 1. May-30. September 8:30-18:00 (all days), 1. October- 30. April 8:30-16:00, Monday closed, Admission free. Palm house opening hours info: http://botanik.snm.ku.dk/english/Praktisk_info/Aabningstider/

8. Visit Carlsberg

Facts and History: Carlsberg brewery mentioned above in Gosia`s recommendations

How to get here: it is in Vesterbro, further info: http://www.visitcarlsberg.dk/visitcarlsberg/howtogethere/Pages/default.aspx
Entrance fee: Adults 50 DKK (inc. 2 beers/soft drinks), Young (12-17) 50 DKK (incl. 2 soft drinks), Children free, Groups Price upon request
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10 am- 5 pm, Mondays closed

9. Caritas Springvandet

Facts and History: a beautiful fountain in Copenhagen, it was built in 1608 and its official name is Fountain of Charity. It is located in the Strøget at the City Hall Square. The names comes from the statue on the fountain which represents Caritas,the goddess of charity.
How to get here: it is in the Strøget, which is the famous shopping street of Copenhagen

10. Tivoli Gardens

Facts And History: Tivoli is an amusement park in Copenhagen and it opened in 1843. It is said to be the most visited theme park in Scandinavia. You can find here also a concert hall and a pantomime theater. The illuminated garden in the winter looks really nice.

How to get here: use this trip planner: http://www.rejseplanen.dk/bin/query.exe/en?ZPOI=3&Z=Tivoli&timesel=arrive

Entrance fee: children 0-7 free, people 8+ 95 DKK (approx. 13 EUR)

Opening hours: info: http://www.tivoli.dk/composite-4588.htm

11. Rosenborg Castle

Facts and Info: You find more info on the Castle under: http://dkks.dk/english.

How to get here: by Train and Metro Nørreport Station
Opening hours: info at: http://dkks.dk/opening-hours/
Entrance fee: Adults 80 DKK, Children (0-17) Free Admission, Groups (12 person min.) 60 DKK per person. You can also book a guided tour. Visiting groups have to call the Palace in advance and if you want to take photos, you have to pay 20 DKK extra.

12. Copenhagen Opera House: more info at http://kglteater.dk/?sc_lang=en
13. La Glace: the famous and historical Conditori of Copenhagen (http://laglace.dk/en/index.php/visit-la-glace)
14. The Royal Library Slotsholmen and the Black Diamond
15. Jens Olsens Clock
16. Rundetårn Tower
17. Kastellet fortifications

Nice churches: Alexander Nevsky Kirke (Russian Orthodox Church), Vor Frue Kirke, Christiansborg Kirke, Marmorkirken

Shopping places and nice parks: The Kings Garden, Fredriksberg Park, Strøget (shopping street), parallel to Strøget runs Straedet (shopping street, chilled atmosphere), Kallbadhaus Ribbersborg (bath, spa, sauna, restaurant and cafe by the sea), Gammel Strand (Old Beach)

If you want to go by districts: Nørrebo, Latin Quarter, Slotsholmen (Christansborg Palace, Folketing (Danish parliament)), Vesterbro district, Pisserenden (younger and more alternative shopping streets), Österbro district are the ones mentioned the most in the Copenhagen-guides.

Cultural Sights

Thorvaldsens Museum
Davids Samling
Experimentarium
Viking Ship Museum
Den Hirschpunkske Samling
Kunstindustrimuseet
Medicinsk Museion
V1 Gallery
Galleri Christina Wilson
Reipley`s Believe it or Not
Assitens Kirkegård
Børsen
Ny Carlsberg Glypotek
Frihetsmuseet
Tøjhusmuseet
Kunsthal Charlottenborg
Kunstforeningen GL Strand
Danish Design Center
Guiness World of Records Museum
Nationalmuseet
Nikolaj Kirke
Overgaden

Nice design shops and clothes stores

Design shops

Bloomingville

Bloomingville, (Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=362073297150270&set=pu.222401781117423&type=1&theater)

Illums Bolighus
Stilleben
Casa Shop
Rue Verte
Raun
BoConcept

BoConcept, (Source: http://www.boconcept.dk/inspiration.aspx?ID=72368)

Designdelicatessen
Anna Olivia
Hay

Hay, (Source: http://files.hay.dk/files/view/931785/)

Clothing

Designer zoo
Inwear
Matinique
Bruuns Bazar
Designers Remix Collection
Mads Nörgaards Copenhagen
Illum

Freetown Christiana

This is one of the places I am most interested in Copenhagen. It`s Danish name is Christianshavn and it is kind of "city in the city" with its own laws. It is also known among tourists as sot of hippie-island.

I saw one documentary about it some time ago and there I saw that you can for example reserve you sauna term and go to some of the public saunas on the island (public means that it does not belong to one specific flat, and can be rented by anyone who pays for it.) In Scandinavia public has a bit different meaning than in the Continental Europe. You do not have to remember the disgusting public toliets etc. if you hear the word "public sauna". In Northern countries people pay good amount of taxes for public good, so they usually know how to use them properly.

Back to Freetown Christiana, it is said to be on an artificial island and was founded in the 17th century as an independent privileged merchant`s town. Then in the 20th century it was a working class neighborhood and developed its bohemian flair in the 1970s. It is not only a place for hippies. Also businessmen, children with families, students and artists live here side-by-side.

Attractions:

Church of Our Savior
Christian`s Church
North Atlantic House
Christianshavn Rampant
Danish Architecture Centre
Lille Mølle
Copenhagen Opera House
Nyholm
Arsenal Island

The forest spirit (Finland)

2012-02-17T12:49:00.005+02:00

Conscious travelling

2012-02-16T16:43:00.001+02:00

I would like to write now a bit about consciousnesses while travelling.

This topic came to my mind through a real life-situation when I was travelling back to Helsinki this weekend from the skiing holidays. Usually I like to be just in time at the airport, I check in on line the night before, drop the luggage quickly and I am ready for boarding. But this weekend life mixed up my plans a bit, and I had almost 1hour 20 minutes until the boarding after the security check.

I decided already beforehand, that I will try to make the most of the situation and use the time I have. So I watched the half of Alien 4, drunk two coffees, ate a Kinder Bueno and I even discovered that there is free wireless connection at the Vienna Airport and I actually felt really nice and relaxed.
Random circumstances can be quite ok sometimes, even if we did not plan them, if we have a bit different attitude and do not complain all the time that things did not work out how we planned them first.

This inspired me to collect the thoughts which came to my mind on the topic of conscious travelling:

When we travel what we see and how we feel is depending much more on us than on the circumstances. If you have an open-minded attitude and want to feel good instead of being irritated, dissatisfied and angry, you will find the ways to feel good.

Being present mentally at every stage of the journey. Not only when we arrive somewhere, but also when we are on the way there. (for example at the airport enjoying the coffee what we drink, having time to smell perfumes what you do not have during the rushing everyday, watching a movie and concentrate on it).

Controlling our emotions-not to expect strong positive experiences only from seeing a particular sight/ doing a particular program

Taking time for experiencing what we see, see the details

Travelling in order to see a particular lifestyle or culture can be quite good way to learn more about the things we are interested at certain stage of our lives.

Money-wise doing what you can afford, booking in time, and comparing prices of several offers for the same trip can save you from being frustrated because of counting your money all the time during the trip or being broke for months after a holiday which lasted only couple of weeks.

Being open for local things-try to avoid positive and negative prejudices, being open for your own feelings on the spot

Accept random changes, adjust to them

Sugarloaf Mountain Brazil (Pão de Açúcar)

2012-02-16T11:10:00.000+02:00

Winter in Budapest II.

2012-02-14T16:53:00.000+02:00

The real travelling

2012-02-12T18:59:00.003+02:00

One day 4 cities: Győr- Vienna-Frankfurt-Helsinki. I wish you a nice day friends with this great poem recited by Leonard Cohen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGeMnAOrhvk - Philip Glass: I can`t make the hills

Emptiness

2012-02-11T01:17:00.001+02:00

Sometimes when I see/experience "too many" things in a short period of time I get really empty. Not to complain or anything like that, there is nothing sad in it.

Things and impressions just fill me to a point, when I get totally full and after this point comes the emptiness when I am simply not capable to absorb any more what I see/hear/feel.

After this point of being full I usually get quite tired and feel very exhausted. It is better not to rebel just let this state go on over me. Then suddenly just as it came, it disappears and I feel fresh again and open for new things.

Winter in Budapest

2012-02-10T01:15:00.005+02:00

Sunset in Hungary

2012-02-08T21:12:00.000+02:00

Bye bye Kreischberg

2012-02-08T09:56:00.003+02:00

Winter in the Alps

2012-02-06T20:36:00.005+02:00

Inspiring thoughts

2012-02-06T00:13:00.001+02:00

I managed to read and listen to nice and inspirational thoughts lately and I thought I can share the sources. May be someone who reads this post will find some of these interesting at this point of his/her own life.

- poems of Edwin Markham
- Ajahn Brahm`s talks about quite many interesting topics on You Tube
- Thich Nhath Hahn: Teachings on love
- Kelly Cutrone: If You Have to Cry, Go Outside
- Kelly Cutrone: Normal Gets You Nowhere
- Sogyal Ringpoche: The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
- Leonard Cohen songs (By the rivers dark, There for you, Avalanche, Waiting for the miracle, Famous blue raincoat, That does not make it junk, In my secret life etc.)
- nice photo blog of Doug Chinnery: http://dougchinnery.blogspot.com/

Steiermark

2012-02-05T10:11:00.002+02:00

Skiing in Austria

2012-02-04T21:53:00.001+02:00

I took these pictures from the moving car with my mobile phone that is why the quality is so excellent. But yes, the waiter said today at the dinner, that it has not been so cold in the last years here. Now it is around -15 C, so I am looking forward to see it tomorrow when we actually really go to ski for the first time during this skiing holiday.

I am a bit tired, because we had to change the flight once in Frankfurt, so it was 2 flights today (Helsinki-Frankfurt, Frankfurt-Vienna) + the driving here to Murau-Kreischberg from Vienna. We are in the part called Steiermark in Austria now.

I just had to realize again, that it takes me approx. 10 minutes to feel comfortable in any new environment..Until I put my things from my luggage to their new place. I will make "normal" photos too in the next days haha.

P.S.: When we were driving in the mountains I saw some animals at some cottage and told to my family, that "wouw, look there is some goats". No no, it was no goats, it was deers!! I am in the wild nature oh yeah.

New stuff

2012-02-03T08:23:00.001+02:00

OK, so here are some updates:

1, You can read the blog on your mobile phone as well, since it is available also in mobile-format. Try it!

2, I will go on skiing holiday to Austria and take the camera with me, so be prepared for some snowy photos.

3, Do not be shy and send you stories by the 19th February to moniinhelsinki@gmail.com .Crazyness is not a mistake, it is a brand!!! Further info:

http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-is-your-craziest-travel-story-join.html

Have a nice weekend, do not freeze and if you want to do something good, you can buy a coffee/tee for the homeless people you pass by on the street, because it is cold and they would be thankful for some warm drink for sure. Have a nice weekend!

Mirror image

2012-02-01T16:35:00.001+02:00

Morning glory

2012-01-30T20:00:00.003+02:00

There is something magical in the dawn. If you walk the empty streets you can see the essence of the nature surrounding you. Without people, without noise. You hear the birds, the wind, see the sun rising. And then a dog starts to bark and ruins it all...

Join the competition and WIN a SAGAFORM Take Away Mug

2012-01-29T19:00:00.000+02:00

WHAT IS YOUR CRAZIEST TRAVEL STORY?

Are you also one of those people who gets robbed two times a year in two different countries, but her/his purse still finds it way back to her/him?

Or have you ever been the one whose name was repeated in the loudspeakers as a final call for getting to the plane, because you arrived at the your boarding gate at time, just it turned out not to be the one for your plane?

You start a conversation in Barcelona with random people when you are drunk and it turns out they are drug dealers from Tunisia and at the end they will be the ones who warn you not to show around your phone so obviously, because it is not the safest district where you are at the moment?

I had my history with crazy travel-stories and now I am interested in YOUR`s!

The author of the best story gets this Sagaform Double Wall Porcelain Take Away Mug below on the picture:

WHAT TO DO?

1, Send your story to moniinhelsinki@gmail.com until February 19th.

2, All the stories will be published on February 20th on the blog as separate blog posts. (If you are a blogger yourself, the post can contain a back link to your own blog.)

3, After the stories are published, people can push the "Like" button under the post for the story/stories they liked the most. The competition is ending on February 29th. That story wins which has the most "Like"-s under the post by February 29th 23:00 (GMt+2).

The story can be published also without your name, if you want to stay Anonymous. The winner gets the price through post wherever she or he might live.

Winter afternoon at dusk in South-East Finland

2012-01-29T11:06:00.000+02:00

Peaceful, calm and white and cold too !!It was around -20C when I took these pictures. The one thing what I really like in this weather though is that the air is so clear and fresh.

I had to move my fingers constantly between two shots, because even though I had the gloves on, they were starting to freeze immediately, when I stopped to move them.

Is this contagious?

2012-01-28T14:34:00.000+02:00

I borrowed the title from one of my favorite Leonard Cohen songs nowadays, called the "Darkness" (the other two favorites are "There for you" and the "Rivers of Dark"). In this song the lyrics goes like:

I got the darkness
from your little ruby cup
I said `Is this contagious?`
You said `Just drink it up`

Which perfectly pictures the relationship between me and the atmosphere of the hot summer afternoon when I shot these pictures. Usually I prefer May to June or July, when the sun is shining so bright and it is so hot, that you can not do anything. But somehow no matter how I am resisting to catch the summer mood, it still catches me every year at the end and after a while I even start to enjoy it.

TRAVEL PLAN 7: St. Petersbrug (Russia)

2012-01-26T08:27:00.001+02:00

I was in 2008 in St. Petersburg, when I was on ERASMUS student exchange in Kuopio (Finland). It was not so far by bus and also from Helsinki as far as I know the train ticket is around 100 EUR, which is quite reasonable price I think. There is also some ferries going,but I have no info about them.

You need a visa to enter Russia and it is depending on your country of origin how much it costs (as far as I remember). When I was in Russia, I went with an organized tour, so the tourist agency was applying for the visa for us and we did not have to do the official stuff ourselves.

Even though we went with an organized tour, we could be quite independent from the group and it was good that I collected some info beforehand, so we could see much more things than the group which was moving in the speed of a snail sometimes. I did not went to ballet or theater,but I would go if I would visit St. Petersburg again and would have more time and cash to spend on the trip.

I liked the orthodox churches a lot, they have some sort of mystical flair to me, the Hermitage of course and we were even visiting the flat where Dostojevskij used to live with his family.

I remember two funny things especially: one was that you could get red (!) banana in the shop and the other was when my friend`s shoe fall under the metro and we had to search someone who can take it out from there. We did not speak any Russian and did not know where to find this person.. But somehow we managed to find a woman and she was fishing out the shoe for us with some long stick.

We even took a kind of local bus, which was a bit more like a taxi-bus full of local Russian people.

Here is the plan what I made for myself before our trip (I spent only couple of days there, so I was focusing on visiting as many places as I can):

Sights

Peter and Paul Cathedral
Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood (Symbol of St. Petersburg, very must to see sight)
Peter and Paul Fortress
Hermitage Museum
Admirality
Peterhof (30 km from the center)
Central Naval Museum
Kazan Cathedral
Tsarskoe Celo (summer palace, called also as The Catherine Palace)
St. Petersburg metro
Mariinsky Opera and Balett Theather (Kirov)
Cruiser Aurora Museum
Field of Mars
Smolny Cathedral
Alexander Nevsky Monastery
Nevsky Prospekt
Dostoyevsky Museum
Russian Museum (Mikhailovsky Palace)
Lazarus and Thikvin Cemetery

I will continue the description soon and add some more detailed info on the sights.

Mirror on the street

2012-01-24T20:46:00.003+02:00

Whiteness

2012-01-21T14:30:00.001+02:00

Helsinki suburb

2012-01-20T20:33:00.001+02:00

Story: I discovered these streets when I once took the wrong bus home and got off at a stop which I thought is only couple of minutes from us. But then I got lost, because I choose a road which I did not know instead of that where my bus was going every day and so I landed at this place and I did not know at all how to get back from here to the main road. It was all these small side street going in circle and I got deeper and deeper to this labyrinth of streets. I was totally lost at a place which I knew that is only in couple of minutes walking distance from my home.

I liked the buildings here so much, that I memorized the way "out" and next time I came back on purpose to take some photos of these nice houses and the atmosphere.

Retro winter pic

2012-01-17T21:37:00.002+02:00

Hi Marisa, this is the pic I was talking about.

ISO 800
30 sec
60 mm
with camera stand

time: 8:26 in the morning (Helsinki, Finland). I think I will go again in the weekend. Good that the sun gets up so late in the winter haha.

Winter in Scandinavia

2012-01-16T21:45:00.001+02:00

How to be positive..

2012-01-16T15:12:00.001+02:00

About the irony of life..

So, this morning I decided to boost my mental capacity and was listening to a quite interesting talk of Ajahn Brahm about "How to be positive". Reflecting on the happenings in my life recently I thought "Hmm, this is exactly what I need. May be I can pick up some pieces of positive mindset before I start this marvelous week."

The speech was really good and full of useful examples and approaches, so I felt quite well-equipped when I was leaving the flat. Even my own dark side could not stop me to feel that there might be some difference, if we look at the things with different eye etc.. So I step out of the flat, -12 C...Okei..After the first wave of cold was hitting me I decided that it is the "perfect winter weather, when the air is so fresh" what I even posted on Facebook (I thought I share my positive energy with others).

The bus was coming and then all the practice started in a sudden. The bus was crashing once.. then started again..stopped once more..crashed again..After the second occasion I used the opportunity to share this second positive experience, that "Yeps, the bus crashed twice, but now everything is fine and we continue the trip". You can guess what happened after this. The bus stopped for the third time, and did not start again. Everyone had to get off, walk to the next stop (was close) and wait for the next bus.

Hm, was I wrong when I sensed some irony there? To all my soul mates who are longing for inner peace and balance: be careful what you wish for, because at the time you state it, life is already starting to bring those occasions to you where you can prove that you meant it seriously..o yee it does..

Helsinki at dawn

2012-01-15T09:36:00.003+02:00

Lighting exercises

2012-01-13T19:56:00.000+02:00

I try to improve my knowledge about photography and be a bit more conscious in learning new things. This Friday I tried out quickly some different light-effects at home.

Even though it is a travel-related blog, but I thought it is also a sort of road to learn new things that is why I share these experiences here.

and a small game with Office Picture Manager:

My favorite Hungarian fashion designers Part 1: TheBétaVersion

2012-01-12T17:01:00.000+02:00

(Photo Source: http://thebetaversion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/pixelfolk11.jpg)

My inspiration for this article was that manytimes when I was travelling I wanted to purchase some real local designerstuff, but I simply did not have the channels to trace where I can find them.The other problem was that since I did not even know the local designers ofcourse I could not find their homepage/ web shop either, which can be animportant step in the 21^st century.

In this first article I would like to introduceto you the brand TheBétaVersion. To see their products you can visit the MonoFashion store in Budapest, Hungary or check out their online-store. The TheBétaVersion web shop offers free shipping on all items in January and February (you can access the web shop by clicking on the blue text). If you want to get your own TheBétaversion item, it is a good opportunity to use this offer and make your order now.

TheBétaVersion

The advantage of living in a relatively smallcountry is that you have to be open and flexible, if you want to connect withthe rest of the world. You learn languages, you travel, meet different culturesand all it shapes your personality and your way of seeing the world. In theworks of the young Hungarian fashion designers you can see the trace of thiscosmopolitan worldview, yet there is some local flair in all of thecollections.

I like TheBétaVersion, because they work withlocal folk art motives, but their products are still really modern and theyconnect the traditional with a modern minimalistic look in a very good way (myfavorite examples for this are their iPad/iPad2 cases).

TheBétaVersion brand was created in 2010 byZsófi Rainer Hungarian designer and Cili Varga brand manager. Their portfoliocontains high quality handmade leather bags and accessories. Well knownpatterns of Hungarian folk art such as birds, geometric shapes and stylizedhuman figures are transformed into pixel patterns and pierced to the leather.

Below you can see pieces of the PIXELFOLKcollection:

(Photo Source: http://thebetaversion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/pixelfolk6.jpg)

(Photo Source: http://thebetaversion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/pixelfolk7.jpg)

(Photo Source: http://thebetaversion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/pixelfolk5.jpg)

To find outmore about Hungarian designers you can visit http://ourstyle.hu/en/. The website gives you up to date information about the latest collections andfashion lovers find here among all a „Magazine” section witch contains nice photoshoots. Online shop available, prices in EUR.

YOU CAN FIND THIS ARTICLE ALSO UNDER: http://www.businesstravelconnection.com/gear-accessories/thebetaversion-exclusive-handmade-leather-accessories-for-travel/ . The Business Travel Connection is a blog which presents articles related to business travelling and this article is appearing on the blog in the "Gear and Accessories" section.

Finnish landscape in autumn

2012-01-09T20:55:00.006+02:00

My road in long exposure photography

2012-01-07T22:04:00.000+02:00

I decided that I get more familiar with the technical games what photography offers to one. I like long exposure photos a lot and I chose this technique to be the first. I was having the first practice lesson at home, first I took the photos "from hand" then I made a semi-stable stand from books.

I will learn finally how to use a photo-stand and go out to shoot some outdoor photos too. and I plan to read more about the topic. I was making an experiment now between 1 and 30 sec. Even a stand from books helps a lot to stabilize the camera. Typical long exposure photos are city-pictures of cars moving on the road, stars moving in the sky in circles, making "light-waves" in front of or around sg.

In my photo above there is a matchbox "moving". Boring and basic, but people are not born like knowing these technical things. Technique is not substituting soul in photography, but can help to express yourself even better. Also in travel photography sometimes you do not have so much time to catch a moment or a good topic, so it is better to practice these techniques beforehand that if you are on the road you can just use it automatically.

Tihany

2012-01-07T16:06:00.000+02:00

Creative slow down session

2012-01-06T13:27:00.000+02:00

I have been sick now for the last week, but it is getting better and hopefully from the next week on I can take some new photos and do not have to drink every night after work a shot of vodka/cognac/pálinka to fertilize my throat.

I have already some plans: one of those is one photo shoot in the "Musiikkitalo" (Music Hall) of Helsinki. It is a modern concert hall building, which was getting ready by the end of 2011. I was there yesterday to buy a ticket for a classical music concert and I was impressed by the building quite much. Nice and lean lines, lots of glass (big like), a metal "sculpture-installation" hanging from above and nice shadow-plays on the wall as the light goes through the sculpture, minimalist bathrooms, etc. I can not wait to get fully healthy again and go there for a nice photo tour.

Otherwise since I was quite exhausted, I was spending more time on reading and relaxing at home. I was reading a book by Kelly Cutrone, quotes and lyrics from Leonard Cohen and listening to the latest Massive Attack album (Heligoland). Leonard Cohen has a really calming voice I have to say. He is almost whispering in his calm voice this really harmonic, but brutal lyrics and he even has a good sense of humor.

For example listen to this song: http://www.leonardcohen.com/us/oldideas

Or these lyrics:

I am an old scholar, better-looking now than when I was young. That's what sitting on your ass does to your face.
Leonard Cohen
Beautiful Losers

Like a bird on the wire,
like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
Leonard Cohen
Bird on the Wire

Everybody knows that you love me baby
Everybody knows that you really do
Everybody knows that you've been faithful
Ah give or take a night or two
Everybody knows you've been discreet
But there were so many people you just had to meet
Without your clothes
And everybody knows.
Leonard Cohen
Everybody Knows

(http://www.allgreatquotes.com/leonard_cohen_quotes3.shtml)

The catch

2012-01-05T08:51:00.002+02:00

Followers button added

2012-01-03T08:26:00.002+02:00

For those of you who might want to stay updated: the Followers button is added on the left sidebar of the blog (under the "Search this blog" gadget). If you join as a Follower you will get automatic updates about new posts in this blog.

If you like this blog or some particular posts, you can show it to your friends through sharing it on Facebook or Google+ etc.

Good morning and BR,

Monika

A peaceful place

2012-01-03T07:51:00.001+02:00

This place is one of the major scenes of my life.

The Seller of Pasts (The book of Chameleons)

2012-01-02T16:07:00.000+02:00

Voilá a new book review in the "Books for travelling" category. However superficial it might sound I bought this book, because of its title which is "The Seller of Pasts" (Múltkereskedő in Hungarian).

A short description about the author, José Eduardo Agualusa, from the front cover of the book "...he can capture a life or expand a drama in 3 sentences, yet he wants and dares to be slow..."

What is it about?: Felix Ventura is an albino who makes his living by "selling pasts" to the new elite of Angola. People visit him and in exchange for their money he creates a glorious past and through this a new identity for them. What does his package contain? Nice stories about the interesting life of their imaginary ancestors and some yellowed photographs with noble old ladies and gentlemen on them what they can show to their new friends. People visit him and in couple of days he sets up a portfolio of a past what even the clients themselves believe as their real family story.

Things get complicated when one day a photojournalist walks in to Ventura`s office who does not only want the past, but a whole new identity...

Reading this books raises many interesting questions. If you create a new past for someone is it not changing his/her present personality too? Is it really so easy to get a new identity? What is our identity at all? etc.

The sky in Scandinavia

2012-01-02T08:27:00.002+02:00

Helsinki graffiti

2012-01-01T18:51:00.001+02:00

I wonder how a mental root canal treatment might feel like...

Industrial patterns

2012-01-01T17:39:00.004+02:00

New Year á la Helsinki

2011-12-31T18:13:00.002+02:00

Global Report 2011/2012 Helsinki: our neigbours are already shouting Happy New Year....:D it is only 18:12. At least I know that if I want to locate on the map where they come from I have to search somewhere around GMT+8 :p

2011 Top 10 articles

2011-12-29T21:25:00.001+02:00

1. Nordic feeling: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/10/nordic-feeling.html
-in this article I posted some photos what I took in Helsinki: a view of Helsinki from above, the Uspenski Cathedral, some building in the Senaatintori and a seagull.

2. Into the blue: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/11/into-blue.html
-blue Christmas shopping window decoration from Stockmann. I like this mystical shade of blue a lot. Stockmann is a fancy shopping place in the city center of Helsinki. I like to go there, because of the stylish atmosphere, the well qualified stuff and even though it is looking very elegant, you can always find something nice for quite affordable price here.

3. Zen way of life: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/12/way-of-life.html
- this post and the idea to write about the topic came by "random" happenings in my life. Thanks to these I read the book "Teachings on love" by Thich Nhat Hahn, what I absolutely recommend to everyone.

4. North-Germany: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/11/north-germany.html
- I travelled to Germany at the end of October to visit my friend and her family. I was in Lüneburg, Ebstorf and Hamburg. It had been already 5 years that I had not been in Germany before the trip and I was missing it already quite much. One of the biggest highlight of the trip was the Hamburger Kunsthalle, where I hesitated at the beginning because of the expensive entrance fee and the lack of time, but then through some intuition I decided to go there and it was absolutely worth it.

5. TRAVEL PLAN 2: Budapest (Hungary): http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/10/budapest-travel-guide_05.html
- My Dad is from Budapest, so I spent half of my childhood there, then I was living for 5 years there during the university times. I like Budapest a lot, even though I see with my critical eyes the areas of improvement. Even like this I consider Budapest as one of my "hometowns" because it is definitely a city where I have lots of good memories and "my own places" and I try to spend some time here each season every year.

6. Winter wonderland: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/11/winter-wonderland.html
- Shop-windows in winter theme in Helsinki

7. Random routes: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-mood.html
- some thoughts about going for safe or getting lost on purpose a bit

8. Living abroad: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/11/living-abroad.html
- I consider living abroad as one form of travelling, since normally people do not get cut off totally from their home and their culture, but learn to spend meaningful time on airports instead. I wrote this post from my own experiences and a summary of my experiences so far in this topic and about the changes in my way of thinking as I have spent more and more time of my life in this lifeform.

9. Mediterranean market feeling: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/10/mediterranean-market-feeling.html
- photos from the La Boqueira market hall in Barcelona

10. One night in Rome: http://packyourluggage.blogspot.com/2011/11/one-night-in-rome.html
- Rome sunset with nice looking savanna-trees and nice colors on the sky

So far writing this blog made me really happy and I would like to thank all of you who have followed, read or commented my posts. Travelling is not only a question of money, in my understanding it is more a state of mind. Getting lost in the beauty what surrounds you, being open for new impressions and the best is that the more new things you see the more clear it gets to you who you actually are or who you really want to be. I will continue also in 2012 to seek for the same in new things and new places, try to capture something beautiful, dramatic or funny and report about my findings through this blog. Tomorrow I am getting back to Helsinki and at the weekend I will do a proper sauna+sports weekend after the very healthy Christmas break.

TRAVEL PLAN 6: Barcelona (Spain)

2011-12-28T13:01:00.001+02:00

I decided to share my travel plan from 2010 summer when I visited Barcelona with my brother, Kornél. It was a really nice trip with culture and relax. We even went out of Barcelona 2 times: once we visited Sitges the famous holiday resort and once we went by rain to the city where the famous Dali museum is.

July 24th, Saturday

arriving in the hostel: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 602 (close to Universitat metro station)

July 25th, Sunday

In the morning

Gaudi-day

La Sagrada Familia (metro line 2 or metro line 5, Sagrada Familia stop)
Park Güell
Casa Batló (metro line 2, 3, or 4 Passeig de Garcia stop, Calle Aragó-Rambla Catalunya exit)
Casa Milá (metro line 3, Diagonal stop)

Siesta

15:00 Picasso Museum (metro line 1 Arc de Triomf stop, metro line 3 Liceu stop)

In the evening

Fonta Mágica fountains (metro line 1, 3, or 8 Placa Espanya stop)

July 26th, Monday

In the morning

Figueres/Dali Museum. It takes 2 hours by train to get to Figueres from Barcelona, train ticket is 9 EUR (could have changed recently, check up to date info at http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/horarios.html ), entrance fee to the Dali Museum 10 EUR. You can aim to get there early in the morning, because then you get back to Barcelona for the afternoon.

Siesta

In the afternoon

La Rambla+ La Boqueria market hall

In the evening

Torre Agbar evening lights

July 27th, Tuesday

Hospital de Sant Pau (open only until 13:00)
Parc de la Cutadella

Gothic district

Montjuic (Castell de Montjuic, Botanic Garden, Fundáció de Joan Miró, Poble Espanol)
Tibidao

July 28th, Wednesday

Sitges: once the most important fishing village of the Costa Brava. Program: relaxed chill out in the nice small city by the sea, relaxing at the sandbeach, shopping in the nice and cheap design shops.

July 29th, Thursday

Monserrat, nice monastery in the mountains. They say it is looking really nice. One day excursion.

July 30th, Friday

whatever we feel like doing, for example visiting the famous football stadium Camp Nou

July 31st, Saturday

flight back home

If you have any favorite places or memories to share about Barcelona, pls. do not hesitate to share it in the Comments section :).

The door

2011-12-28T12:27:00.000+02:00

Search option added to the blog

2011-12-27T12:28:00.001+02:00

Dear Readers,

I hope you had a great time with your friends and family during the Christmas break. I had the chance to relax a bit and my head is full of new ideas again. As the first step I added the "Search this blog" option to the blog.
You find it on the left sidebar of the blog above the RSS FEED.
I wish you nice browsing :).

BR,

Monika

My grandparents place

2011-12-25T12:28:00.001+02:00

These photos were taken at my grandparents house in Budapest. Until they passed away I spent a lot of time at their place: many weeks during the summer holidays, at least once in a month on Sundays after the divorce of my parents, at Christmas, Easter, birthdays, name days etc. I liked this place, because everything was so natural and easy and the silent acceptance and love of my grandmother surrounded everyone there.

On the first photo there is a bowl where they collected the rainwater. Every time when it was raining my grandparents put that metal bowl there and they watered the plants inside and outside the house with the rainwater.

On the second picture there is a cactus. My grandparents had a cactus in their living room which they called "Christmas-cactus". It had always lots of red-dark pink flowers for Christmas and we were counting the flowers on it together every year at Christmas. It was kind of a part of our Christmas-ritual.

The third is the sunglasses which is put to an old luggage. When we sold the house we had to empty it and I found these sunglasses there. Since I can remember my grandpa he always used to wear hat+glasses/sunglasses, that is why I was choosing this picture.

Forest walk

2011-12-23T18:47:00.001+02:00

Without title

2011-12-22T15:15:00.003+02:00

Photo tour in a changing city

2011-12-21T20:10:00.002+02:00

I took these photos some years ago, when I moved to my flat in Budapest. I remember this house was in the corner and the entrance doors were open, so I managed to go to the yard and walk around and take some pictures. The other photos were taken at a construction sight, where the ruins of the old houses were still there and the morning sun was shining through the broken glasses.

I remember this beautiful sight of the one wall of a former house standing there by the road, the sun was shining through the glass of the windows.

Playing where you are

2011-12-17T19:36:00.001+02:00

When I was 18 I got a camera for my birthday. Not a mirror reflex one, but still very good for beginners. I managed to destroy it in quite short time- This photo shoot was made with a borrowed camera. Sometimes people ask me reflecting on the title of my blog if I travel very frequently?

My answer is yes and no at the same time. I do not go to very exotic places very often, I travel the most inside Europe. The most exotic trip so far in my life was Brazil. When I was in the high school there was one summer in 2002, when I was constantly travelling. I started with a 3 days festival in Hungary, then I went to Greece for a week, babysitting in Győr, then Sziget Festival, after that 1 week Transylvania and 3 weeks Germany. I think it was the busiest summer of my life.

For me travelling is more an attitude not a lifestyle. I like to start to go, arrive and leave and start to go again. I do not enjoy going, because I would search for any answer or anything. I just like to go.

Zen way of life

2011-12-16T09:34:00.001+02:00

According to some rethinking I changed the text of this post. I removed some pictures, because I try to keep the line with adding only photos taken by me to this blog. I did not want to change the title though, because then also all the comments to the post loose their meaning and I do not want it.

When I was trying to replace the photos in the post I had to work with the materials I have on my Picasa web albums, because I am in Hungary now and do not have access to all of my photos stored at home. Then I found this picture and somehow I thought, that "yes, this is it" this reflects the relation between me and these philosophical-religious things so much.

When I was 12-13 or so I participated in an exchange program in Austria. The project was based every year around one topic and that year it was called "chaos and order". In the project different groups worked on the topic for 1 week and at the end they made a book of the results. Each group approached through different means: natural sciences, literature, visual arts etc. I was in the culture section in a group where the approach was "Chaos and order in the everyday" and wrote the following:
"...Chaos bedeutet für jeden Menschen etwas anderes: Es gibt viele Menschen, denen auch kleinere Probleme grosse Schwierigkeiten machen...Ordnung gibt es auch in der Natur, im Zimmer oder in den Köpfen einiger Menschen. Viele sagen wenn man eine ordentliche Umwelt hat, kann man auch besser arbeiten. Ich halte Ordnung auch für sehr wichtig, weil ich nur auf dieser Weise ausgeglichen sein kann. Trotzdem ich Ordung so mag und an jeden Schuljahrbeginn sage, dass ich ordentlich sein werde, ist es nicht immer so."

in English: "...Chaos means for everyone something different: there is many people for whom even small problems cause big trouble...You can see order in the nature, in a room or in the head of some people. Many say that if there is order around you, you can work better. For me order is very important, because I feel balanced only, when order surrounds me. Although I like it so much and promise at the start of each schoolyear that there will be order around me, it is actually not always so."

This writing fits the topic well. Some daily routine can bring structure to thoughts and life and yes, even though I promise it to myself at the beginning of even every day, it is actually not always so that I can keep this daily routine so much...

Helsinki architectural motives

2011-12-15T22:05:00.005+02:00

Random routes

2011-12-15T08:57:00.000+02:00

Many people claim, that life during holidays is something "too good", almost artificially free. I am saying the opposite. For me couple of days are enough that I forget about the every day things and feel like "myself" again and can concentrate fully on the trip and open myself to new experiences.

I think people should leave their comfort zones much more often. What if you just would point on the map to a place with closed eyes and go to a village/city/hiking place close to your home where you have never been before? Check a photo exhibition or a museum, go to a cafe, an old church, any place what seems interesting there. Or just get on an unknown tram/bus and go with it until the end station. You can not go more safer unsafe than this. If you go until the end station, you can get back easily to the place where you started your trip from. It is funny that how much courage it requires even to do this unknown bus/tram thing. Although being crazy can be lot of fun sometimes :).

Soon...

2011-12-13T18:17:00.002+02:00

Deep winter

2011-12-11T17:44:00.001+02:00

Christmas is coming and soon the deepest point of winter is behind us. It is somehow nice, that it happens already before the Christmas, that the darkest day of the year is over and after this we have day by day more light a day.

Lately it was very hard for me to get out from the bed, because the sun came up between 9:30 and 10:00 am. and it started to get dark already around 3 pm..Somehow as people grow older, you respect this change of the seasons and the times more easily. You do not rebel for summer when is winter, you rather accept it: "now it is these times" and adjust; you drink hot chocolate, make pancakes, listen to music, burn candles. Somehow you get it, that the change of the seasons is only a help, and basically whether it is spring, autumn, winter or summer, it is always the same circulation of life what you are going through. A day, a week, a month, a year a decade.

One of my favorite sentences from my favorite advertisement describes it pretty well, when it says "Every feelings are beautiful". Every season is beautiful too, you just have to find the thing in it, what inspires you in it. When you do not go crazy from the Christmas-shopping :)....

My guest blogger article about Budapest

2011-12-09T13:33:00.001+02:00

I was asked to be a guest blogger on CheapOair Travel Blog, which is an Indian travel blog and I accepted the request, so from now on you can read my writings there as well :). I wrote my first article on Budapest, you find it under:

http://cheapoairtravelblog.com/2011/guest-blogs/budapest-a-perfect-lifestyle-holiday-in-central-europe/

Feel free to comment the post, and add your own expressions and recommendations to it.

Exotic travel destinations

2011-12-04T21:11:00.001+02:00

La bella Italia-Memories from Rome

2011-12-04T00:44:00.001+02:00

In this last picture you can see a short summary of all the stereotypes about Italy: guy driving a motorcycle, a "bella ragazza" and a hint of history..Only the pizza is missing.Or the tiramisu..

If you want to catch the Italian-flow, I can strongly recommend an adorable movie I watched recently: "Under the Tuscan sun". Grey`s Anatomy fans will be surprised haha.

Emotional travelling

2011-11-29T23:33:00.001+02:00

http://youtu.be/Hp85VHonLUY

If you watch this video you will understand, what I mean under emotional tripping. Sometimes you do not have to go anywhere..Just some music or color catches your attention and you are already travelling in your mind to some place you have not been before..How many photo albums I could fill with these moments, when I saw something really nice once in a sudden, and was thinking that if I would have the camera with me, it could be one of the best photos taken by me ever..Some days ago I went with the bus in the morning to the workplace and there was many small raindrops on the glass, the sun was coming up and sometimes it shine through them and it looked like some nice structure of golden pearls..An other time, actually today I saw a small girl of Asian origin in a very beautiful Mongolian-like silk blue winter coat with colorful patterns. All this when I just saw an amazing photo/fashion report about Mongolia in the British Vouge couple of weeks ago, which totally made my mood for a Mongolia-trip..
Then I just remembered, when I got in to the yard of an old house in Budapest and the excitement of discovering that unknown place, where actually all the neighbors knew each other and I was definitely a stranger in that small intimate community. I felt somehow that these photos will be very unique, because I am at a place, which might disappear any time..How interesting it might sound, but yes, they tore down hundreds of years old buildings and built completely new ones, because it was more cost-effective and in one year also my photo-scene disappeared and now it lives only on the photos I took.
What I want to say here is that every day there can be THE moment, what you remember all of your life long. It might be even " an accident" that you got there or that you saw that and it does not even have to be anything extraordinary..but still you might remember that moment all of your life. This is what I call "emotional travelling". You mark the places in your life by these moments, and these moment make their place in you and shape you little by little without you even noticing it. A colour, a smell, a taste, a look, the light shining through a glass, a cat taking sunbath, the smell of the fresh bread from the bakery at your holiday location, a colorful fish, when you are snorkeling...anything what makes you feel that you are a part of the life happening around you.

One night in Rome

2011-11-27T21:07:00.001+02:00

Into the blue

2011-11-24T20:59:00.001+02:00

Winter wonderland

2011-11-21T19:25:00.001+02:00

The real Santa

2011-11-20T17:54:00.001+02:00

On the forth photo you can see the real Santa straight from Rovaniemi :).

Village life

2011-11-19T15:23:00.001+02:00

The photos were taken in Szany, Hungary. Szany is a village where my Mum is from, in my childhood I spent almost all of the holidays here and have very good memories. A saw small calves which were born couple of days ago, drunk "real" milk, picked fruits and vegetables from the garden, made nice walks to the nearby forest, watched falling starts in August and had simply a carefree life here.

Nordic flair

2011-11-17T20:07:00.001+02:00

TRAVEL PLAN 5: Lüneburg (North-Germany)

2011-11-17T19:03:00.001+02:00

Lüneburg is a 1055 years old Hansa-city in North-Germany, which was gaining its importance because of its role in salt-trade in the middle age. You can see the proof of richness on the nice buildings wherever you walk in the center. Although this is not a "too much"-style at all, the city center is stylish, full of small cafes and shops; visiting the city is a nice one-day trip if you are staying in North-Germany. You can get here by train (http://www.db.de), for example for Hamburg it is a 30 min trip. It is worth to go at the weekend and take the group ticket, because there is great price discounts, already 4 people count as a group.

Sights:

1. Old City House

Info: touristik@lueneburg.de

How to get here: on the main market place

Tower-Entrance fee: adults 5 EUR, children up to 6 years entrance free, students 4 EUR, family ticket 12 EUR

Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11:00, 12:30, 14:30 and 16:00, Sunday and free days 11:00 and 14:00, Mondays closed

2. Am Stintmarkt

Facts and History:

How to get here:

Tower-Entrance fee:

Opening hours

3. Platz am Sande

Facts and History:

How to get here:

Tower-Entrance fee:

Opening hours

4. St. Nicolai-Kirche

Facts and History:

How to get here:

Tower-Entrance fee:

Opening hours

5. Alter Kran

Facts and History:

How to get here:

Tower-Entrance fee:

Opening hours

6. Heinrich-Heine-Haus

Facts and History:

How to get here:

Tower-Entrance fee:

Opening hours

7. Monastery and Textile Museum

Facts and History:

How to get here:

Tower-Entrance fee:

Opening hours

8. "Pregnant"-House

Facts and History:

How to get here:

Tower-Entrance fee:

Opening hours

9. Building of Chamber of Commerce

Facts and History: Beautiful Rennesaince building built in 1548. During its history it had different functions: bank, hotel, state bank and since the second world war it has its current function.

How to get here: Am Sande 1, Lüneburg

Active tips:

- get to know the region by cycling (http://www.lueneburg.de/naturerleben), or take a guided tour by bike (http://www.lueneburg.de/radfahren)
- if you prefer horse riding you can make a riding-tour (www.lueneburg.de/reiten)
- get to know the regional cuisine (http://regionale-esskultur.de)
- Biosphaerium Elbtalalue
- Lüneburger Weinachtsmarkt at Christmas-time
-Heideblütenfest (end of August)
- Salü Wellness Spa Lüneburg

I WILL UPDATE THE OPENING HOURS ETC. INFO SOON

Hamburg moments

2011-11-16T21:40:00.001+02:00

Living abroad

2011-11-13T16:51:00.001+02:00

XXIth century..People come and go between the countries, some for this, some for that reason. Sometimes life brings you a chance, you catch the opportunity and suddenly you live in a country far away from your home and you become a "foreigner" to others around you and sometimes to yourself as well, because your head is full of new thoughts and you live outside of your "own environment".

When I look around I meet even in Finland many Hungarian people living here, not to speak about London, Germany, Austria, Amsterdam and some more "exotic" places. Who knows why people start to go a road, which is different from the "everyday" path, that you are born somewhere, you live your life there and die in the same country. Sometimes the rush of a situation is bringing you to places and challenges, what you are not even ready to estimate beforehand. Only when you get there, then you can see what you were choosing.

It is nice to make conclusions from a certain group of people, but it can be also boring and false what people make up by analyzing some people who live different life than they do.

Since I live in Helsinki, I can understand the other people living as foreigners abroad a bit more, but I also feel very much connected to my roots and old friends and family in Hungary. I am thinking every year, that I will count the time spent in Hungary and in Finland to be able to compare how much of a year do I spend at home 1 and current home2.

For some people it is easier to start to go, but whenever you choose a road and start to go it, it will be THE road for the time you go it and the more you walk on it, the more difficult it will be to go back where you started from. Actually may be it is not even possible to go back totally, every road leaves its sign in you and the crossroads disappear in the past. You can go the roads and try to keep some constant things in you whatever road you go and wherever that road leads you. Maybe this is the first most important thing what I could give as an advice from my own experience for people, who consider moving somewhere or moving back to somewhere.

Time to rest

2011-11-11T12:56:00.001+02:00

Static view

2011-11-10T17:02:00.004+02:00

I took these photos in St. Petersburg. The purity of this situation was catching my attention. The coats of the old ladies, as you see that they belong together. In the background the cars started to go, because the traffic light changed to green, but these two old ladies (friends I would assume) were standing there like some symbol of the essence of things which stay always the same no matter how much time flies.

Journey by Moonlight

2011-11-08T19:39:00.005+02:00

In Hungarian "Utas és Holdvilág", which literally means "Traveler and Moonlight" is one of the best known novels of the Hungarian literature. Written by Antal Szerb it was first published in 1937. If you want to read a nice book with good story and the travel flow in it, I can absolutely recommend it.

Here is a plot introduction:

"The novel features the romantic figure of Mihály, aloof and poetic, but struggling to break with an adolescent rebelliousness which he tries to quell under respectable bourgeois conformism, but also with the disturbing attraction of an erotic death-wish. While there is no doubt an element of (the then especially influential and risqué) Freudianism in this, as well as perhaps the sexual and emotional claustrophobia of a society with strong Catholic and martial traditions, it also has a distinct originality.

The novel follows Mihály, a Budapest native from a bourgeois family on his honeymoon in Italy, as he encounters and attempts to make sense of his past."

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_by_Moonlight_(novel) )

Scandinavian forest

2011-11-06T23:46:00.004+02:00

TRAVEL PLAN 4: Hamburg (Germany)

2011-11-05T21:03:00.001+02:00

up to date info on the web: http://english.hamburg.de/
check your route in Hamburg (available in German):http://www.meinestadt.de/hamburg/stadtplan/routenplaner

About Hamburg

Hamburg is the biggest city of North-Germany with its 1.8 million inhabitants. It is a major transport hub in North-Germany and the Hamburg Port ranks as 9th worldwide in transshipment.

Here a quote to describe the "Hamburg-feeling":

"In Hamburg it`s hard to find a Hamburger. A hurried and superficial search turns up only people from Pinneberg, and those from Bergedorf. One accompanies the contented little kippers of a striving society; mackerels from Stade, sole from Finkenwerder, herrings from Cuxhaven swim in expectant throngs through the streets of my city and lobsters patrol the stock exchange with open claws....The first so-called unguarded glance always lands on the bottom of the sea and falls into twilight of the aquarium. Heinrich Heine must have had the same experience when he tried, with his cultivated scorn and gifted melancholy, to find people of Hamburg"
-Siegfried Lenz, in Leute von Hamburg (People from Hamburg)
(from :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburg#Port)

Sights

1. Hamburg Port

How to get here: The cruises start from the "Alter Elbtunnel". It is worth to participate in a port-cruise, because this way you can explore from "inside and live" the everyday life of the 9th biggest port of the world. Speicherstadt is a main part of the port cruise, behind the wall of the historical storage houses valuable goods of world trade are stored; coffee, tea, cocoa, spices, tobacco, computer and the third biggest oriental rug stock of the world.

Hamburg Port-tours: http://www.barkassenvermietung-hamburg.com/hafenrundfahrt.html,here the "Hafenrundfahrt" costs 12 EUR for adults, 5 EUR for children, and you can ask an offer for groups via email or phone

2. St. Michaels Church

Facts and History: http://www.st-michaelis.de/, it is worth to go up to the tower of the church by walking or taking the elevator. From here you can see the city and the Hamburg Port. High fences, therefore recommended also for people who are afraid of height.

How to get here: S-Bahn: S3, S1 Stadthausbrücke, Mihaelisstrasse exit

Tower-Entrance fee: 4 EUR for adults, Children 6-15 years 3 EUR

Opening hours: November-April 10:00-17:30, May-October 9:00-19:30

3. Alter Elbtunnel (Old Elb-Tunnel)

Facts and History: Other name "St. Pauli Elbtunnel" was opened in 1911 and was a technical miracle of its age. It was the first under-river tunnel of the continent. People and vehicles were transported 24 m deep with the elevators. Since 2003 it is a cultural heritage sight. On foot and by bike the entrance is free.

How to get here: St. Pauli Landungsbrücken, Hamburg

4. Rathaus Hamburg (City hall)

How to get here: U-Bahn, U3 Rathaus

Opening hours : Guided tours in German Mo-Fri 10:00-15:00 every half hour, Sat 10:00-17:00 every half hour, So 10:00-16:00 every half hour. If requested guided tours in English and French are offered every hour. For further information: +49 40 42831 2064 (9-17). Recommended to call and ask up to date opening info.

Entrance free: Adults 3 EUR, Children up to 14 years 50 cent, groups from 15 person 2 EUR, Families (2 adults+children) 6 EUR, Hamburg pass or Power-Pass 2 EUR

5. Planten un Blomen Park

Facts and History: you find this amazing park right in the city center, main sights here are the Botanic Garden with Tropical House, and the biggest Japanese Garden of Europe. The "Central Park of Hamburg" with many programs and attractions.

How to get here: different entrances at different parts of the park. Here you can find the closest public transportation stop to the place you want to visit: http://plantenunblomen.hamburg.de/lageplan-np/

Opening hours: October 1st-March 31st 7:00-20:00, April 1st-30st April: 07:00-22:00, 1st May-30th September 07:00-23:00

Aussenalter (Outer Alter Lake) is an other recreational area of Hamburg, it is a artificial lake (see more info on the web)

6. St. Nikolai Memorial

Facts and History: This is the main place in Hamburg devoted to the memory of the victims of the war and the country`s leadership between 1933 and 1945. In the ruin you find a permanent exhibition about the reasons and consequences of the air war in Europe.

Entrance fee: Adults 3.7 EUR, Students/Hamburg Card/Groups 2.9 EUR, Children 2 EUR

How to get here: closest U-Bahn station is Rödingsmarkt

Opening hours: May-Sept every day 10:00-20:00, October-April 10:00-17:00

7. Reperbahn

Facts and History: street in St Pauli`s district, one of the two centers of Hamburgs nightlife and also Hamburgs red light district. It is recommended to avoid Herbestsstrasse and just walk along Reperbahn and visit the funny/weird sex shops, restaurants and theater live venues.

How to get here: Street running parallel with the harbor

Culture tripping

Hamburger Kunsthalle

Facts and History: Absolutaley worth of the money for art-lovers. Renoir, Monet,Manet, Rodin etc. Alte Meister-Neue Mesiter entrances, the exhibition are is divided to "Old- and New Masters". They hold in the museum every Saturday an Art-market where people can buy secondhand art books, some small design things etc. and the museum shop is also very good even for buying presents.

Entrance fee: 12 EUR

How to get here: it is next to the Hamburg Central Railway Station

Opening hours:Tuesdays to Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, Thursdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.Closed Mondays; Day of German Unity (10/03/2011) 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Christmas Eve and December 25: closed, December 26: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., New Year's Eve 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., New Year's Day 12 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Deichtorhallen

Emmigration Museum Ballinstadt

International Maritimes Museum Hamburg

Miniatur Wonderland

Museum ships at Landungsbrücken

Alsterarkaden

It is worth to check the web for further programs and places to visit, because the cultural program offer of Hamburg is very big and diverse.

Eating and shopping

Hamburg Fischmarkt (fish market)

In the shopping street starting at the Railway Station:

Spices of the world shop (http://www.schuhbeck.de/laeden/gewuerzlaeden/in-hamburg.html)

Gummibär shop (http://www.baeren-treff.de/)

Curry wurst place opposite to Starbucks

Thomas Sabo shopwindow had funny-cool Chineese and Panda themes when we visited in 2011 October

Squirell

2011-11-03T20:11:00.000+02:00

North-Germany

2011-11-01T08:47:00.000+02:00

Lüneburg is a very nice city in North-Germany not so far from Hamburg (train approx 30 min, car approx. 45 min). The city gained its wealth in the middle-age from salt-trade and you can see it on the architecture how wealthy Lüneburg became from this trade. Unique architectural style, nice cafés and good atmosphere; a city absolutely wort to visit. Even though I was trying to tolerate our hosts I still shot many photos while walking around in the city, so in the future now and then I will publish more Lüneburg photos for sure.

Thomas Sabo shopwindow in Hamburg

2011-10-31T11:33:00.000+02:00

I made these pictures with my mobile phone, so the quality is not so good, but still I found this shop window very funny. Thomas Sabo ft. Kung fu Panda and Chineese Dragon style :).

Germany calling

2011-10-26T22:02:00.005+03:00

On the move

2011-10-26T09:13:00.002+03:00

Tomorrow a long weekend in Germany starts :)! It has been ages that I have been there, although before I moved to Finland, I visited almost every year or every second year. In Germany I have been only in North-Germany, Berlin, and South-East Germany. Would be nice to visit Bayern and Central- and Western Germany too:).

I like to travel, because before every trip I have this feeling to prepare for something, buy some new clothes, go to the gym more, buy presents if I visit someone, look up some sights in the internet and I am a bit more flexible budget-wise.

People who are on the "work field" understand it for sure, how nice it is to go even for a short trip and get out from the every day routine and having the chance to be peaceful again with no challenges,projects, problems and repeating situations. Travelling is a form of meditation, because if you do it "well" during the trip the focus shifts away from you. Not all for your thoughts turn around you any more, but you pay more attention to the new impressions and get mentally "re-filled".

Balaton

2011-10-24T21:54:00.000+03:00

If you know what "sajtos-tejfölös lángos" is then you know the Balaton beach feeling. Sayonara;)