Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The Castelvecchio is a fortress of the Scaliger in Verona, Italy. It was built from 1354 on and is located outside the city center at the river Adige. Attached to it there is the Ponte Scaligero allowing the residents to flee over the Adige in case of danger. Continue reading “Castelvecchio”
Franz Tappeiner was an Austrian doctor and botanist who studied in Padua, Praha and Wien. He settled in Merano in 1846, worked as a doctor and described 6000 plants. He is still well remembered as he created the Tappeinerweg, a 6 kilometers long promenade from Merano up the hill to Dorf Tirol. Continue reading “Tappeinerweg”
The Castel Tirolo dates back to the year 1100 and is located close to Dorf Tirol near Merano in Italy. It is very well preserved and contains a museum about the history of Alto Adige nowadays. It was the main castle of the nobility of Tirol until the seat moved to Innsbruck (today belonging to Austria) in the 15th century. Continue reading “Schloß Tirol”
In Merano, Italy the river Passiro runs into river Adige and at its river bank there is a beautiful Christmas market every year. This section of the town is lighted with thousands of lights and you can get mulled wine, sausages and different crafted products. Continue reading “Christmas market at the Passirio”
The Passo del Brennero as an important gateway through the alps and separates Austria from Italy. Many cars take this way each summer and it is also the route for the railway connecting München to Bolzano by crossing Austria. It belongs to the eastern alps and the Brennero itself is 1370 meters high. Continue reading “Brennero”
Nijō-jō is a former castle of the shōgun in Kyōto, Japan. It dates back to 1601 and was the away home in Kyōto – as the official seat of the shōgun was in Edo (today’s Tōkyō) by that time. Continue reading “Nijō-jō”
The castle of Ōsaka, Japan is a fortification built in 1583. Today only the walls around this place are original – the building itself has been rebuilt in the beginning of the 20th century CE. It is one of the most famous castles in Japan. Continue reading “Ōsaka-jō”
Visiting the city of Nara from Kyōto, Japan is an easy short trip by regional train – and it is really worth it. There are lots of important temples (including the largest Buddha statue) and a situation I’ve never seen before: deer living within the city center. Continue reading “Deer at the city”
The Kasuga-Taisha is a Shintō shrine in Nara, Japan and is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is located close to the two holy mountains Kasugayama and Mikasayama. The shrine is said to be built in 768. Continue reading “Kasuga-Taisha”
Japanese children learn to not talk to any stranger. This seems to be deeply engraved into Japanese culture and gives you the feeling of not being a foreigner, as nobody ever takes notice of you – even if you’re the only gaijin on the whole subway train. But it also doesn’t help you feel at home if nobody communicates with you. Continue reading “I’m from Jamaica”