10 Things I have Learned…. (9/11/14)

Relaxing Sunday evening…

It is a very relaxing Sunday afternoon, and I think the time has arrived to sit down and think about all I have learned this week that I would like to share with you.

I have booked some flights this week, so that I have learned (again) some new things regarding the world of the flights and the travel awards.

1) A look to the supermarkets clearly shows that Christmas and the end of the year is slowly but surely approaching. And as every year, and like every traveler and frequent flyer, my thought at the end of the year is: Will I be able to keep my Frequent Flyer Status this year?!
The answer is no 😦 And this is the first thing I learned this week: Some of the long ray flights I did last year are missing to reach the requested Miles. Few long flights give you more miles than many short flights.

2) If you book a package with a Tour Operator which includes a flight, you cannot earn miles with the flight.
As I am not a real Tour Operator type, I did not know it and was happy to give my Miles&More card details to the lady during the check-in. It all sounded as if the miles had been earned… but they never appeared to my account. Now the airline hotline finally confirmed my suspect: no miles for tour operator flights. I don’t see an explanation for this… Do you have one?

3) For those of you that are in need of only a few more miles for this year: Have a look at this year’s Christmas Calendar Apps offered by the airlines. There are sometimes very nice little presents for traveler. As an example, Lufthansa offers the Xmas Shaker App. It is a Calendar that allows you – with a little bit of luck – to earn a gift every day, from 1^st December until Christmas.
Possible gifts are Extra-Miles!

4) Lufthansa is actively helping with the weather forecasts, as some of the planes have special instruments for the measurement of the temperature. They collect different data from different heights, which help the scientists predict the weather. Isn’t it quite strange if you think that the predictions you hear on TV arrive from the measurements on the plane you were seated in?

5) I have heard about it but I had never seen them: Gloves that allow you to use your Smartphone! I know, we are all crazy and too Smartphone-addicted. Well, what to say… I admit to be Smartphone-addicted but I don’t think that’s so bad. There are things which are worse! 🙂
I should have had them when I lived in the Swiss Alps and felt the need to communicate while walking around in the evening with -30 degrees!!
They work perfectly (of course I bought them!), and I think they are a great Christmas present too.

6) Thinking about my Smartphone addiction: I read that Bryant Park in Manhattan NY offers free Internet Access. Ok that’s not so spectacular. The nice thing is: if the battery gets low, you can charge it at the portable Solarstation City Charge! It has 6 cables to charge the most common Phones and Tablets. It is attached to a round table which animates the people to sit down and talk to the others while their Phones are charging.
I like the idea of a “real” social moment while sitting at that table and hope this idea will be copied in many other places too.

7) I have learned a lot about small, low weight Notebooks. But don’t worry, I won’t bother you with that. Just know that I will soon buy the one that I have already chosen. Nothing will stop me then from writing even from the strangest places! 🙂

8) For those of you missing some Italian lifestyle and food in Germany: there is a funny “Ape” car in front of the Italian Consulate in Cologne, offering great Espresso, Cappuccino and Italian pastry and finger-food (I am not only Smartphone-addicted, but also Espresso & Cornetto alla Crema addicted :-)).
It was so nice to see all the people from the offices nearby standing there and chat while drinking a good cup of coffee. Such a precious social moment and meeting point between Italian and German culture!

Ape Car in front of Italian Consulate in Cologne

9) You don’t need to go to developing countries to experience real transportation chaos. This can happen also in Germany. Deutsch Bahn (the German railway system) is striking for 4 days in a row now and the entire land is experiencing big troubles which not only affect the travel industry, but also the economy. It was always seen as a guaranteed system, but now please inform yourself before planning a train trip to Germany as the reason for the strike has still not been solved.

10) Pink Floyd has released a new album. I never liked them particularly.
Maybe it is because I am (a bit 😉 ) older now, but I really like their new single “Louder Than Words”. Check it out!

That’s all for now.
I am looking forward to your comments & why not, what you have learned?!

Have a great Sunday everyone! 🙂

London Calling: The City that talks to You!

One of the strange things that I noticed while walking through London was that I was always reading some signs and sentences along my way. This city talks to you. Everyone knows the famous sentence “Mind the gap” at the London underground, but apart of that, you have recommendations and advices everywhere. It principally tells you to be careful – but not only!

This city tells you where to watch out in order not to get hurt:

This was very helpful for me!

Isn’t this picture a bit exaggerated? 😉

You are even being told to be careful when washing your hands!

… and how to get out of the bus.

 

London tells you where you are in order not to get lost:

Tate Britain

The city even tells you how it feels:

And gives you further information on things you maybe do not want to know! 😉

Dirty Harry is cleaning the toilet

No further comment on this one! 🙂

A bird’s-eye view on London

I have been to London nearly one month ago and I finally manage to go through my images. There are many things that I noticed and many impressions I would like to share with you but I will start with a travel-tip which can also be seen as a life-tip: Always try to see things from more than one perspective.

The perspective I want to talk to you this time is the one “from above”, by listing some ideas of places with a panoramic view in London.

Cocktail with a view – Sushi Samba

ArcelorMittal Orbit
When we arrived to London it was already dark and on the way to the city center one building with a very strange shape attracted our attention. It was illuminated in red and looked very futuristic. We found out that it was the Archelor Mittal Orbit, built in 2012.
It symbolizes an orbit which goes up and down with a continuous line, which expresses the energy and creativity of London. Not only it is a building one has to see, it also offers two platforms with a beautiful view of London and the Olympic Park. Not to miss: the funny effects of the concave mirrors that will flip your perspective and turn the horizon upside down.

The Shard
The Shard is a building you cannot miss in London – you see it from every part of the city. Seen from far away it looks as if the pyramid made of glass with a broken top.
Getting closer you realize how unique it is. It has been developed by Irvine Sellar and built by famous Renzo Piano, with the idea of creating a “vertical city”. The building now incorporates retail, offices, a Shnagri-La Hotel, apartments, restaurants and a public viewing gallery. With its 310 meters height it is the tallest building of western Europe. There are 3 open floors: 68, 69 and 72 that offer you an amazing view of the glass construction above. And, at almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in London, it offers 360-degree views of the city.

Sushi Samba

Sushi Samba at Heron Tower

Sushi Samba Restaurant & Bar with a rooftop terrace is on the 38th floor of the Heron Tower. Don’t go if you are afraid of the heights as there is a panoramic glass elevator that brings you up in speed. It is a fascinating place and going there was such a great experience! Can you imagine Japanese-Peruvian-Brazilian fusion food and cocktails? Matcha tea infused Pisco? It’s worth a visit!
A very charming place for an after-work drink or a unique dinner experience. But not only: the spectacular view of London with all its most famous buildings took my breath away!

Sushi Samba Restaurant

The Gherkin seen from above

Radio Rooftop Bar
I didn’t manage to see it but it’s on my list for my next London trip: Radio Rooftop Bar. It is located on the 10th floor of the ME Hotel and it is called like this because the first BBC programming was broadcast in 1922 from here. You can relax enjoying your cocktails while sitting on fancy white sofas and have a wonderful view the Oxo Tower, Big Ben, St Paul’s, the Gherkin, the Shard…

London Eye
Who doesn’t know London eye? With its 135 meters height it’s the highest observation wheel in Europe. It’s located in the center of London and one of the cities symbols.
It’s part of the classical touristic tours but this does not mean that it’s not worth it. I’ve been there before and I chose to do it again. The views of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey from one of the Eyes’ glass-capsule are just stunning!

“La Dolce Vita” combined with Swiss Efficiency: Lugano

There is a part of Switzerland which is mostly not being considered in the general common idea people have of the typical Switzerland. It is Ticino: the Italian speaking part.
It is not about cows and cheese fondue. It is a very classy, upscale and dolce vita loving part of Switzerland.

Delicious italian food and “dolce vita” lifestyle in Lugano

Lugano is one of the most renown cities of Ticino. It all develops on the mountains around Lake Lugano.

The charming city center is very small, formed by numerous banks (ok, this is also part of the typical idea of Switzerland), luxury shops, Swiss/Italian restaurants and bars and one casino.

All the other buildings are spread on the mountains, which give this place a very picturesque look. Wonderful villas, luxurious hotels, restaurants… Everywhere you go, you will be stuck by the unique panoramic views. Lugano loves its Lake and the view of it.

You can have a refreshing swim or do every kind of watersports you desire on Lake Lugano.

Stand-up water paddling and a Whales tail in the Lake 😉

To get the “real” Lugano feeling I recommend staying or just drinking a coffee in one of the hotels which made the history of this place, that has lived the golden era and still is in a splendid shape.

One of them, a very intimate place, is Villa Principe Leopoldo. Not only has the Villa wonderful accommodations, it has a Restaurant with one of the most stunning views I have ever seen. Don’t miss it, even if it’s only for an aperitivo in the evening.

Me and my friend enjoying the view from the panoramic restaurant at the Hotel Principe Leopoldo

We also had a wonderful Aperitivo with unique view of the lake and the surrounding mountains

I have actually staid at the Villa Principe Leopoldo. It is located on the so called “golden hill” not very far away from what used to be Hermann Hesse’s house. It is one of the most charming places I have ever seen, and the staff is very friendly. They even have a shuttle service which brings you up and down the hill to the city center.

You can combine Lugano with a round-trip through Switzerland, by flying to Zurich (it is only 3 hours from there by direct train), and maybe cross the Italian border and fly out from Milan.
Milan can be easily reached in one hour by train. There is a bus shuttle service which even brings you direct from Lugano to the Milan Malpensa airport. Swiss efficiency! 😉

Small trips and small joys… are the biggest!

It was very early in the morning when I took the tram to the train station. I just sat on the first seat I saw. I noticed after a while that there was a very old lady a couple of seats next to me, when she started turning around to look at me, then again to her hand and then again to me.

She had such a sweet expression on her face. Like a child so happy and proud.

I curiously leaned forward to have a look at her hand and noticed a colorful butterfly gently sitting on it. The contrast to the desolation of the grey tram made this butterfly look so special, as if it would bring joy and luck.

The old woman continued looking at me and we started smiling at each other about this beautiful scene.

I do not know where she was heading to… but I am sure this made her day a little bit brighter, and mine too.

It wasn’t a long trip – just a 10 minutes tram ride. You really don’t need to travel far to find experiences that touch your heart: You just need to look around and be interested in the people you meet.

Venus lives in Sicily: Erice

“On the highest top a medieval village rises among bristly towers. It is the small village of Erice where once the most famous temple of the most famous goddess…Venus,… with its fortified walls, with its streets accurately paved”.

Roger Peyrefitte, descripion of Erice in 1952

“Sulla vetta più alta inciela una medievale borgata irta di torri. È il piccolo borgo di Erice, dominato una volta dal più famoso tempio della dea più famosa…Venere,… con la sua cinta fortificata, con le sue strade accuratamente selciate”.

Roger Peyrefitte su Erice nel 1952

Road that leads to Erice

This road brings you back in time – curve after curve – until you arrive to Erice.
Erice is a Medieval town, with only 512 people living in the city center. It is located at a hight of around 700 meters on Mount Erice, with a wonderful panoramic view of Sicily’s west coast, with Trapani and the Egadi islands.

When we first arrived to the top, the town was covered by a thick fog, which gave a somehow fascinating mystical look to the town.
It is a phenomenon that often takes place on Mount Erice and which led to many mythological histories about the town. Since prehistoric times, Erice has been connected to the goddess of fertility, love and beauty: to Venus. Some say it is because of the strong relationship between water (fog) and fertility.