The Rock of Europe is a mighty sight. Ancient people knew it as Hercules’ pillars. The gateway to the big ocean, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. James Bond raced a car down the rock while fighting an evil dude. A major accomplishment, considering the roads are rarely no wider than the car. The combined length of the roads and tunnels inside the rock are as long as the combined length of the roads outside it in the territory of Gibraltar. Interesting fact. Not as interesting as the monkeys though. They are cute. They bite. And they steal peanuts, from your [View Full Entry]

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What do you do when you have a weekend off on Costa del Sol and want to get away from it all...? Easy - you go to Portugal. A most spontaneous trip it is. Initiator Miguel - in close co-operation with me and my car - do actually not have to excert a lot of influence to convince the two Swedish guapas Ida and Ullis to come along. Off we go. Via Seville, where a friendly police officer escorts us out of town and points us in the right direction, the road to Algarve is wide open. Of course with the [View Full Entry]

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Cruising through the clouds in an airplane is pretty cool. Doing it by car is even cooler. A visit to the mountain town of Ronda allows you to do this. Going back towards the coast on the mountain roads at dusk, the view with the mountaintops and the clouds below is a magnificent sight. The idea that you have to descend through the white stuff to get to the bottom is quite exciting. But first we have to stop and wait for the sunset, and take the obligatory pictures. The altitude is high, it’s windy, and it’s chilly. But it’s definitely [View Full Entry]

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Right outside our little apartment complex on our little street, Calle San Agustin, is a little café. Coming home from school, that is where roomies Marie and Anneli can be found many a times. So also the day of Antonio. This day they have something extra to report. "Hey, Antonio just walked by. Less than a minute ago". Antonio naturally being native Malagueño Antonio Banderas himself. The Desperado. El Mariachi himself. Walking by my little street with wife Melanie Griffith, kids, and mother-in-law Tipi Hedren. Pretty cool. And I missed it... I decide to take up the hunt. "Where did he [View Full Entry]

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The Rock of Europe is a mighty sight. Ancient people knew it as Hercules’ pillars. The gateway to the big ocean, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. James Bond raced a car down the rock while fighting an evil dude. A major accomplishment, considering the roads are rarely no wider than the car. The combined length of the roads and tunnels inside the rock are as long as the combined length of the roads outside it in the territory of Gibraltar. Interesting fact. Not as interesting as the monkeys though. They are cute. They bite. And they steal peanuts, from your [View Full Entry]

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Driving a car in southern Europe is indeed an experience in itself, although not recommended the non-aggressive, nervous, or fainthearted driver. The law of the jungle prevails. Demolition derby is a more suitable description than anything related to civilized traffic. Parking the car follows roughly the same principles. Squeeze your car into any spot where it appears fairly out of the way for the surrounding traffic. A dent or two comes with the territory. On those terms the profession of “aparcacoches” was born. “Aparcacoches” (roughly translated “car parker [View Full Entry]

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It could be a typical German bar, with an international touch. The place seems rather popular, so I enter. It is a nice place. Not a place for single people, but since I don't know of anything else in Lubeck, I stay. The beer is good. The music is good. They give away little bottles of alcohol, something green. A nice little souvenir. A girl walks around with a little basket. She gives out balloons and candy. Maybe not your highest priority on a Friday night, but a nice gesture. Nobody talks to me, and I keep a low profile. After [View Full Entry]

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And the crowd goes wild...oh, well, not exactly wild, the drunken crowd is giving a polite applause after our performance. But we buy it. Our version of ”Hotel California” would probably never have made the lists anyway…Any lists. Ever. I got the feeling we weren’t very synchronized. A feeling that was confirmed afterwards by my friend saying: ”Hey, did you notice in the ceiling? They had a TV screen with the song text. I saw it halfway through the song. Cool.”. The secret concept of karaoke has been revealed. The world will never be the same again. [View Full Entry]

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Naturally, the scenery is impressive. The Horseshoe Falls of the Niagara Falls could probably not have been more beautifully designed with the most modern techniques. It's wet, it's big, it's touristy, it's mighty. Yet, the wow-experience is just not there. Probably there is something wrong with me, as I keep thinking that there are more impressive places than this. This wonder of nature, admittedly one of the most romantic and legendary of attractions. Stories - true or not - are told about people who went down the falls in a barrel - and survived. Or the lady who dropped her newborn [View Full Entry]

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Chicago is admittedly a rather violent city. The city has a history of violence, going back to the days of Al Capone and his likes. Crime rates and unemployment rates in some parts of the city are (or at least were) insanely high. Given these facts, and being a pretty experienced traveler, I trust nobody. Inspired by the spirit of the moment, in combination with a few beers, I decide to go against my instincts and have a late-night chat with the guys hanging out outside the Lincoln/Belmont YMCA. Although these guys may not be typical losers, they will most likely [View Full Entry]

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