Only ten percent of the US citizens have a passport. When thinking of traveling Germany, most Americans most likely think of Bavaria. Especially of clichés like the Munich Hofbräuhaus (pronounce ‘hauv-broy-house, meaning royal court brewery), Octoberfest, Disney castle aka Neuschwanstein (pronounce noy-‘shvuhn-shtine), and maybe Garmisch-Partenkirchen (pronounce ‘guhrr-mish-par-ten-‘keer-hen). Interestingly enough, these popular places are all manmade. […]
Across the Fence
Across the Fence: A Short Waterfall Hike
Waterfalls have always fascinated me. Especially from below, but also from a place distant enough where you can grasp their size. You somehow don’t get this when you are standing right on top of them. And that was one of the reasons why my husband and I decided to hike to some falls in the […]
Across the Fence: A Zoo Visit in Seattle
Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about zoos. On the one hand, animals in them are not roaming freely and lose lots of their natural instincts. On the other hand, it’s a way to preserve species and, in bringing them to the people, to have them understood and protected in better ways. I have grown up […]
Across the Fence: Ice or Iced Coffee?
Ever since I was a teenager and had started to appreciate coffee, the highlight of a hot summer day in Germany came in the shape of a slim glass filled with ice coffee. We call it Eiskaffee (pronounce: ‘ice-kuh-fay) and you can order it at any Café, not just at an Eiscafé (pronounce: ‘ice-kuh-fay). At […]
Across the Fence: Planning a Trip
Do you like traveling? Or would you like to travel but can’t anymore for whatever reason? Or have you never dared to travel because you have never experienced how it’s done and it’s totally out of your comfort zone? As a kid one of my favorite role plays was that of a travel agency. I […]
Across the Fence: Cherries
One of my favorite fruits are Morellos, a very tart cherry species that are used in compotes, in red wine gravies, for juices, and in Black Forest cakes. In my childhood, the arrival of tart, dark cherries marked the arrival of summer. Sitting in the top branches of a cherry tree with a book, while […]
Across the Fence: The real remote deal
The sun doesn’t have to be out, and it doesn’t even have to be really warm; the only prerequisite is calm air. That’s when my husband packs one of his planes into the trunk of the car and drives out to a venue for other model airplane aficionados, an airfield somewhere in the very scenic […]
Across the Fence: Building Character
The other day, while I was just finishing my first lap of power walking around Waughop Lake, I was chatted up by a gentleman who I had encountered about ten minutes earlier. After another lap in lively discussion, I came away with some huge inspiration and signed copies of three mind-blowing books. The gentleman I […]
Across the Fence: Tiny Sound Islands
When it’s getting warmer, my husband and I sometimes set out in our little boat to explore. And what’s better to explore than places you usually cannot reach on foot or by car?! Because they are so very small and out of the way. Our South Puget Sound tiny islands. One of these islands you […]