Dr. Stefan Christmann

February 2, 2025February 27, 2025

La Aurora

La Aurora International Airport (GUA) serves as the primary gateway to Ciudad de Guatemala, located just 6.4 kilometers south of the city center. This modern facility underwent significant expansion and renovation, completed in 2008, allowing it to accommodate more flights and larger aircraft. The airport features two terminals and for those looking to explore the city and the wonderful country, numerous car rental options are available directly at the airport.

February 1, 2025February 28, 2025

George Bush Intercontinental

The airport of Houston (IAH), originally named Houston Intercontinental Airport, opened its doors in June 1969 and has since become a major hub for international travel in Texas. Renamed in 1997 after the 41st President of the United States, the airport spans over 4,000 hectares and features five runways, making it Houston‘s largest airport and the #8 airport in the United States. It serves as a premier long-haul facility for the region, supporting 26 airlines that offer flights to 187 non-stop destinations. The airport has obviously aged over time but is working well and fast.

January 20, 2025January 20, 2025

Manchester Airport

Well, the airport of Manchester isn’t very modern and does deserve a makeover. But maybe the busiest airport of the United Kingdom outside of London also fits well to the worker bee city, to the former heart of the Industrial Revolution. MAN airport was opened in 1938 and formerly known as the Ringway Airport – it is located 15 kilometers south of the city, in the civil parish of Ringway. The airport has two runways and three terminals nicely linked using skylinks.

January 19, 2025April 18, 2025

Dichterfürst

One of the most important sons of the city of Frankfurt am Main is for sure Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He died at Weimar and is buried at the Fürstengruft there, but he is still present in his birthplace. One example of that is the Frankfurter Goethe-Haus at the Großer Hirschgraben, the place he was born at in 1749 and the seat of his family until 1795. Unfortunately, the house itself was destroyed in 1944 during an air raid – but the interior was preserved. After long debates the house was rebuilt and serves as a museum today.

January 5, 2025January 4, 2025

Tenerife

It was a rather spontaneous decision to spend the end of the year on Tenerife, enjoying the warmer weather in contrast to central Europe. Tenerife is the largest of the Islas Canarias located in the Atlantic ocean close to Western Sahara and Morocco. The island has the shape of a tilted Y and was formed 12 million years ago by volcanic activities. First human traces can be dated back to the 10th century BC; interaction with European cultures started in the 14th century CE followed by a colonisation by the Spanish after massive fights with the indigenious people.

January 3, 2025January 4, 2025

Teide

The highest mountain of Spain can in fact not be found on the Spanish mainland, but on the island of Tenerife belonging to the Islas Canarias. The Teide is 3,715 meters high and of volcanic origin – the last erruption was in 1909. Surrounding the mountain you can find a beautiful national park and a caldera named Las Cañadas with a diameter of 17 kilometers. The Pico del Teide was also the holy mountain of the Guanche indigenious people who gave it the name Echeyde, El Teide is just the Spanish transformation of this name.

December 28, 2024December 30, 2024

Ghost town

If you’re into lost places or graffiti art you should consider a visit to the Sanatorio de Abona at Abades, on the southern coast of Tenerife. Leprosy reached the island rather late and in 1943 it was decided to create a sanatorio with all you need: from different houses via hospitals to a church in Franco style. Prior to finishing the construction works leprosy could be defeated and the sanatoria became superfluous. Not a single person moved and was treated there. As the buildings were never finished and repurposed, Abades is today a ghost town close to the shore and tourist houses.

December 27, 2024December 30, 2024

Drago milenario

The icon of the city of Icod de los Vinos is a very old ‘dragon tree‘ or Dracaena draco. These trees grow very slowely and in former times this large one was expected to be 3,000 years old – in fact it is growing close to the city center since 600-800 years, still impressive. The Drago is 16 meters high and has a circumfence of six meters. Its resin is blood red and the Guanche living first on the island treated the tree as their sanctuary and used the resin to cover their deceased. The tree has been declared a national monument in 1917.

December 26, 2024December 30, 2024

Reina Sofía

North and south are concepts that are used in a flexible manor on Tenerife. The island was created by different volcanoes and is Y-shaped. Everything that is rather north of the central mountains is considered north, everything else as the south-side of the island. Driving distances are never really long, but it might be sensible to have an airport north and south of the Teide mountain. The one in the south is the Aeropuerto de Tenerife Sur Reina Sofía (TFS) located in the community of Granadilla de Abona.

November 26, 2024November 27, 2024

Winter Wonderland

When the days are getting shorter and colder, a part of Hyde Park close to Speakers’ Corner turns into the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland – a crazy mix of a Christmas market, the Oktoberfest and a fun fair. Winter Wonderland began at London in 2005 and was ever-growing since then (if you ignore the Covid-19 times). It combines good music, festive lights, fun rides and overpriced food and drinks. A funny adventure letting you taste unexpected food creations and experience the joy of amusement parks.