Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The Dirham is the historic Arab silver coin unit introduced in the year 698 CE. Some countries in the world still use this name as a reference to that and one of them is the Moroccan Dirham (MAD), with prices often shown with the abbreviation Dh. The MAD is not freely convertible. You can’t get it outside of the country, even importing and exporting it is forbidden. A maximum amount of 1,000 MAD (a bit less then 100 Euros) is typically accepted at the border.
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San Marino was founded in 301 and is probably the oldest still existing republic with the oldest still used constitution (established in 1600). The country only has 30,000 inhabitants – much less then most European cities – and is fully surrounded by Italy. Official language is Italian, currency is the Euro; but the country is not part of the European Union (only of the United Nations). The legend says that quarryman Marinus fled from Rimini because Christians were prosecuted in the Roman Empire and went up to mount Titano to build a monastery there.
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I’m unfortunately not a big fan of the music made and performed by Swedish Pop group ABBA, but I acknowledge the global phenomenon that created one of the best-selling bands in music history. Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid ended their band project in 1982, their last concert in London was in 1979 (at the Wembley Arena, todays OVO Arena). And then they surprisingly returned in 2022: as a virtual band in their own ABBA Arena at London‘s Pudding Mill Lane.
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On my mission to visit the remaining microstates in Europe, Andorra was probably the hardest nut to crack. It is located secluded in the Pyrenees mountain without having an airport or a railway station. Your only chance is to fly to Barcelona or Toulouse and do a long bus ride into mountains. I decided for the latter and made my way up to the small country I only knew as a tax haven and from Max Frisch‘s book title. Was it worth it? Sure, but not for the shopping-oriented city of Andorra la Vella – more for the history, the ancient city center and for the nature of the Pyrenees.
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Andorra is potentially the country in Europe that is hardest to tick off your travel wish list. It is just a tiny country with under 80,000 inhabitants on 468 km² in the Pyrenees between Spain and France. There is no airport and no railway station, your best chance is to fly to Barcelona or Toulouse and take a bus ride into the mountains which lasts 3-4 hours. It is a bit unusual that the capital city Andorra la Vella is so complicated to reach but the trip through the mountains is very scenic and well worth the effort.
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I hadn’t seen much of North America so far and never been to its western coastline, that was one of the very good reasons to visit Canada for the very first time. So far the country was linked in my head only to maple syrup, ice hockey and the fictive character Robin Scherbatsky from How I Met Your Mother. That was about to change but first I had to get a heavy jetlag caused by nine hours of time shift out of my head. My first stop was Vancouver where I had to discover some truth about my holiday location.
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While travelling through the Canadian Rocky Mountains you’ll see a lot of railway tracks and if you’re lucky you can also spot a special train that takes tourists from city to city: The Rocky Mountaineer is a world-renowned luxury train that offers an unforgettable journey through the breathtaking landscapes of Western Canada and the Rocky Mountains. Unlike traditional rail travel, the Rocky Mountaineer operates exclusively during the daytime, ensuring that passengers never miss a moment of the towering peaks, rushing rivers, and pristine wilderness outside their panoramic windows. The train features glass-domed coaches, allowing for unobstructed views of glaciers, waterfalls, and wildlife such as bears, elk, and bald eagles.
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Driving from Mount Robson to Jasper is a spectacular journey through the heart of the Canadian Rockies, offering breathtaking views of towering peaks, alpine meadows, and glacial rivers. As you travel east along Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway), you leave Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia and enter Jasper National Park in Alberta, officially crossing the provincial border. This transition is more than just a geographic change—it also marks a shift in time zones, as you move from Pacific Time (PT) to Mountain Time (MT), losing one hour.
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The Pacific Rim National Park is a wonderful place on Vancouver Island with many different beaches you can try out. A road and cyclist path connect them from Ucluelet until Tofino and thereby make them easily accessible. You’ll find paid parking areas in all these places, but there is one pain: you can only pay by app and connectivity via the mobile network is sometimes bad. The best beach in my opinion is Tonquin beach near Tofino.
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The province British Columbia has the abbreviation BC, but these two letters can also be read in a different way: as Bear Country. That’s what British Columbia is. When hiking on Vancouver Island or up to the Yellowhead Mountain there are typically two potential threats: cougars and bears. While cougars and wolves are mostly shy and invisible, you’ll meet bears quite frequently; black bears more often than grizzly bears. On Vancouver Island alone there are around 7,000 of them and knowing how to react and which precautions to take is a must.
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