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Archive for the ‘Culture & Attitudes’ Category

26
Nov
Portuguese Lifestyle

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Ahoy Partisans & Friends & Guests,

The last days in Porto… I have been working on my homepage and tinkering with my new Expedition Machine. I am looking forward to the first test ride in January 2010. It will be a challenge. I still have troubles to cycle on my new Two-Wheels’ Lowrider Machine :D Imagine you have to learn once again cycling. You cannot compare it with an usual (non-recumbent) bike. Let’s take it easy especially with these Portuguese traffic & roads marked by horrible surfaces (flagging), narrow streets, extremely uphill / downhill, careless & aggressive car drivers, better said “warriors” (I am sorry Portuguese drivers. But that’s what you are :D
Anyway, I see it as perfect training for Asian traffic & roads. I have been told to expect similar or even worse traffic conditions in Eastern Europe, and later in Asia.

What I am doing rest of the time? Working on my Yoga & Freestyle Performance, hiking, camping, learning Portuguese and for sure, enjoying Portuguese culture with Portuguese Music, Traditional Dances, very delicious food (esp. Seafood, Fish, Vegetable Soups … Yamm Yamm), ah… no worries, more insights will be blogged soon!

For the next weeks (over Christmas & New Years Eve) I am going to visit my parents & family in Germany. I have not seen them for the last 2years. I’ll come back begin January 11.

Last but not least, a Big Thank You to the photographer Christina Baek, who provided me some of the pictures above.

And for all partners, friends and guests who understand Portuguese, that’s the first blog in Portuguese. You can change the language by clicking on the Portuguese flag above. It shall help me learning the language. But no concerns, my Portuguese level is still very bad. Laughing & smiling accepted, but no judgement.

Posted in Culture & Attitudes, Diary, Equipment · 1 Comment »

5
Nov
Portuguese Day Pictures: Elderly Hard-Working vs. Elderly Easy-Goin’

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If you see the first picture, one can imagine … It’s daytime the elderly enjoy the sunshine in parks and streets.
If I compare this Easy-Goin Style with other European cultures, usually one can see only the youth sitting in streets & enjoying meet-ups with friends. And have you seen, these are only the male elderly. But where are their wifes? Hmm … i am not sure if it was by accident that i saw the female elderly hard-working on this sunny day. One sells Hot Kastanias in the streets, the other one tries to reach the top of th bridge with her pruchase bags. She had to stop several times as the way upstairs is extremely sharp. Ah no, but during this day, I could find also an older man working. Fishing one of Portuguese main working fields

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29
Aug
Second Webisode: Poland - First Crossed Country

Hey, that is our second Webisode, the video documentation of each country. It’s my time in Poland the first country which I crossed. But don’t wonder the second part of Poland is missing. I broke my camcorder short before News Years Eve :o(

Big big thanks to my team partners Roger and Jacqueline in London who have been producing the Webisode. (They spend many hours every week getting done these video documentations.)

And now, watch it and don’t laugh! It’s a drama not a comedy ;o)

YouTube Preview Image

Posted in CouchSurfing Encounters, Culture & Attitudes, Videos, Webisodes · Write a comment »

22
Aug
Along the Northern coast of the Basque, enjoying mountains, meeting pilgrims

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Ahoy,

I arrived in Mondragon, a small city in Northern Spain. I enjoy more and more the countryside covered by green and mountains. I feel me like in Austria / Southern Germany.
There is only one big difference. Spanish people live in flats and not in houses mainly because of the high price for real estate (also in villages and small town dislike Germany).

And for sure, I am happy to see many cyclists in the mountains. I met at least thirty per day. They wonder what I am doing in the Basque mountains with my strange bike :o)
The last MountainBikers asked me if I go to Santiago de Campostella. (Western Spain) which is the target for many travellers following the historical pilgrimage route. My reply: “No, Vietnam!”

In general, people from Basque enjoy doing sports in the mountains. I have been told that the Basque area is popular not only for cycling (race cycling and mountain biking) but also for extreme climbing and hiking. I think about visiting the most difficult climbing wall worldwide which is owned by the Pou Brothers, one of the world-best climbers.

Posted in Culture & Attitudes, Diary · 2 Comments »

17
Aug
Appendix: Video to the Sightseeing Tour in Hondarribia (ES)

As appendix to my previous blog post, see a short video clip showing the old town of Hondarrabia (ES).

YouTube Preview Image

Posted in Culture & Attitudes, Diary, Mobile Videos, Videos · Write a comment »