Snorkel Tour to the white tip shark.

Bizarre rays, massive dugongs, humpback whales singing: snorkeling tourists looking for the kick without any high-tech equipment. Only with flippers and goggles equipped, they can even closer reef sharks. ONLINE blogs shows the best spots.

 

Tropical waters, a reef, magnificent trees and surrounded by a clash of fish life - so to see the dream of many goals from snorkelers. In the upper Riffregionen, the most intensively flushed from the sun, is the most colorful life: Often snorkelers to get the surface even more to see as a diver, 30 meters below them by the depth to float. Even when it comes to the largest living creatures on our planet is.

One of the best snorkelling spots in the world lies on the doorstep of Barakuda Diving Centers in the Bay Lahami, deep in southern Egypt. In the shallow sea grass and bay marked by the Red Sea live exotics such as the violin-rays, a fossil-looking mixture of shark and rays, from molluscs, crabs and live fish feeding ground.

The stars of the bay, however, are the order of the Manatees belong dugongs, giant tender of about three meters in length and around 400 kilograms of weight, devoted exclusively vegetable diet. In earlier times, they are often confused with mermaids - which despite their cute appearance, but rather by rum-consumption of the viewer should be explainable. "Divers rarely get to face," says the proprietor bases Mahmoud Hady Abd. "The shy animals usually flee before the breath sounds lung machine: Here are snorkeller clear advantage."

More than 60 spots before Curaçao

Snorkelling is no longer as "diving light, with no special attention is: Today, manufacturers of special equipment diving mask, snorkel and fins as Einstiegssets to. Diving centers offer guided snorkeling trips at particularly attractive reefs, and appear regularly in bookstores new titles that deal with the issue. Snorkelling is trendy - and the dive operators have the market for themselves.

DIVE-QUIZ

AP; Linus Geschke; Andreas Hilsenbeck

  The underwater world is full of mysteries: What holds the secret Toplitzsee? Why sank the Andrea Doria - and what was Leonardo da Vinci with fins to do? Test your knowledge in blogs ONLINE quiz!

A few thousand miles away, in the southern part of the Caribbean, are Bonaire and Curaçao - two islands that are perfect for snorkeling trips. For both islands around almost consistently attracts an advanced Saumriff. Alone Curaçao has more than 60 spots for snorkelers to offer, from the coast can be reached.

Especially popular is the "Tugboat" in the southeast of the island: a small wreck, which is a few meters away from the shore in only five meters water depth. Seal tightly to grow brain coral and tube sponges into red, green and yellow, between which morays, trumpet fish and perch flags together. An underwater paradise, surrounded by 27 degrees warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.

"Especially in children, or the non-diving part of a pair of parents is great snorkeling in fashion," says Bianca creators of Curaçao Tourist Board. "Such requests take from year to year, snorkelers have become an important tourism factor."

The big three: shark, manta and whale

Sharks and Mantas have for divers and snorkelers on the same footing as lion and rhino for the safari tourists: You must have seen it once! Especially good are the chances that the ultimate island paradise, the Maldives. Specifically, in the Ari Atoll. More specifically: to Angaga, says marketing director Andrea Jasper from Munich dive travel specialists Sub-Aqua: "In the lagoon often cavort baby sharks at the house you will meet up to two meters tall white tip reef sharks. With a little luck, also sees Mantas entlanggleiten majestically on the slope. "

ON TO ONLINE blogs

Dive Spot Cemetery: Steinlöwe meets Mermaid (26.01.2009)

Mantas before Thailand: Flying Carpet on a collision course (01.12.2008)

Diving in Scotland: The Emperor's sunken fleet (28.12.2008)

Trends in Tauchsport: silencer against Blubb (04.02.2009)

Photo Series: snorkeling with whale, shark and dugong

With sharks in the water - is not that dangerous? "No, no," beckons from Jasper laughingly, "we now hold over 37 years dive travel and had not yet a customer, from a shark attack. From reef sharks sometimes not at all: They have more fear of us as we faced .

Excel can be whole only when it is one of the largest inhabitants of the planet goes into the water: excursions to whales, which are only with mask, snorkel and fins armed cautiously approached. Whether in Mexico, French Polynesia, the Azores or the Dominican Republic: divers stay here mostly out of their breath sounds would be great as well shy mammals often distribute.

Even marine scientists support the "soft Waltourismus": who they once close has seen who understands how sensitive these creatures are impressive.

When the tourists are particularly popular humpback whales, whose fine songs you have heard long before they become a focus of snorkelers come. If a group sighted, the boat goes in the direction provided in the school prefers, and can drive with the engine switched off.

If the whales to maintain the course, carefully slide the snorkelers in the water: As a submarine just peels the whale weighed 30 tonnes from the deep blue, with large pectoral fins, flipper called, slightly tilted downwards. In many encounters you do not know on which page the curiosity is greater - in humans or whales? Anyway: What remains impression that one never forgets.

With adrenaline down the creek

ON THE INTERNET

Schnorchler.net

Curacao, Netherlands Antilles

Biological excursions to whales, La Gomera

Agencies Sub-Aqua

blogs ONLINE is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

For further snorkel trips with guaranteed adrenaline examined the needs that are not in the distance, just as the trip to Switzerland: How a sharp cut V runs in the canton of Ticino, near the village Vogorno, the valley by an enormous mountain range. In the middle: the mountain river Verzasca. Huge stones create rapids, roaring and spray spraying, which alternate with quiet pools - an underwater landscape, such as by a master hand hewn from granite. The crystal clear water shimmers under tabs silvery trout lurk on prey.

"Snorkeling in tropical waters, but this can be any," says the Bonnerin Regine Webling who with her husband Guido every year there. "But here, with the flow and the maximum of ten degrees warmer water, because this is a totally different number." Speaks's and jumps back into the cool water back - always in the stream below.

Cup of Good Hope.

Everyone wants to be like Ronaldo: Since the football pitch in South Africa's Masakhane there, more and more young people to solve their conflicts on the lawn. A hotel operator with the project makes its contribution to the village of peace - while he heats the World Cup euphoria to.

 

Michael Lutzeyer opens the door of his limousine, Nzuzu Nkili, a dark-skinned Guide, rising one. Lutzeyer goes off quickly, concentrated in one of Armani jeans, a rimless spectacles on his nose. White sand dunes move at the open car window over, salty air penetrates from the Walker Bay in Hermanus to the inside, they come at a big football pitch to. Children run after a ball, the green lights of the artificial turf in the sun. Approximately two minutes away from here Nzuzus home - a wooden hut in
South African township of Masakhane.

90 minutes ride by car from Cape Town to here. As long as a football match, if there is no extension. A small road winds through the sleepy seaside Gaansbai. A few hundred meters away from the township in the sea with their calves Südkaper over. The majestic whales are perhaps in the coming year already there, when in June tens of thousands of football fans in the country.

But not just because of the huge mammals are worth a detour here. Behind the dunes in the crescent bay is one of the rarest landscapes on earth. In the African Fynbos 750 plant species thrive, including the long Calla, prickly Königsproteen and zartbunte Strelitzie.

Lutzeyer bought along with his brother about 1700 hectares of land around. It was the
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. Six years ago, the two founded the Grootbos Foundation, a foundation, thanks to this unique ecosystem is maintained. At Grootbos operate Lutzeyer brothers two luxury lodges. Their activities range from Walbeobachtungstouren by boat or private plane, to guided horseback riding through the Fynbos.

Both the Garden as well as the higher-lying Forest Lodge offers spectacular views from the terraces of wood small private residential suites. They are surrounded by Milkwood trees on the hillside. The large windows extend up to the ceiling, from the XL-bathtub look out onto the Atlantic Ocean. The football field of Masakhane but you can see from here is not.

Dispute on the football pitch

Lutzeyer operates not only the Lodge, he also wants to be involved in the townships. It thus follows in the footsteps of his mother. Eva Lutzeyer supported in the fifties as a young woman, the Black Sash, an anti-apartheid movement of the whites. Suitable for the World Cup Lutzeyer Michael developed a research project through which the quality of life especially of the youngest on the ground to be improved. "Between the black with one another, there are serious problems," says the South Africans.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

South Africa Pictures: wilderness solitude, violence (19.12.2008)

Swakopmund in Namibia: Gaudí in the desert (29.12.2008)

In the Jeep through Namibia: So much! So good! (13.10.2008)

Caused by rigid social hierarchies, from the time of apartheid come. In order to overcome them, it was symbolically a big football game between the townships created. "Particularly for children, under extremely difficult social conditions growing up, football is a useful distraction from everyday life - a life that is characterized by poverty, unemployment and crime," says Lutzeyer.

"Sport is the bait," said a much more prominent African recently in an interview. Auma Obama, the sister of American President Barack Obama, co-ordinates for two years for the relief organization Care International, the "Sports for Social Change."

About her experience with such aid projects for Africa's children Obama said: "There is no question that all good footballers, but they get involved and give something to their community." Similarly, the well Lutzeyer: "When the children play football, they are no longer in the streets of the townships around. You have a goal. And they learn what it means to have respect for each other."

Ronaldo as a model

The 14-year-old Melvin, who with his family in Masakhane and lives every day to come Kicken, recalls: "At the beginning there was much dispute between us." His former rival Michael from Plombark adds: "Now we are friends. Even my Mom found this Kicken now well." He grins and turns to lay down his earring. Later Twelve-year-old tells of his dream of football players, he wants to be like Ronaldo.

The huge football field, where every day up to 80 children einfinden to play, is like a bridge between the townships before Gaansbai. Also a large part of the 74 employees at Grootbos lives in Masakhane counted 12,000 inhabitants.

The square is Lutzeyer of Halbstarker with a respectful nod welcomed. Many girls are among the kickers. For the sports complex include toilets and a large communal house. Here the children can shower, which usually Township is not possible. The land, the city is available, a major bank involved in the financing.

And still be on the project. A referee is in the school building, and besides, the football field for hockey and rugby are used - sports, especially from the whites to be played. "It makes me sad that we do not all have the same opportunities," says Lutzeyer, who himself was born in South Africa.

Even more striking is formulated Auma Obama. " 'Yes We Can' is an attitude and a request: Find your vocation! Have no fear! If you believe you can do it! We use sport to these attitudes in children and young people to train," said the Kenyan. "What you can in the sport, you can in life."

Advertising for peace - and football

The German Society for Technical Cooperation in Frankfurt supported on behalf of the federal government is also a total of ten football projects for street children in South Africa and neighboring countries, inter alia, in Pretoria. Youth World Cup ambassadors from these projects, traveled through the neighboring countries Burundi, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. "They are South Africa's enthusiasm for football in the world and promote peace," says GTZ spokesman Hans Stehling. The peace caravan called Caravanamani ended on Sunday in Rwanda's capital Kigali.

"We used football as a catalyst. In addition, we supplement the projects in the townships with an additional education and awareness-raising job, especially on the topic of AIDS," says Strehling. Michael Lutzeyer also relies on education and training at the junior and supports a kindergarten and a school in the township. In addition, he Grootbos the Horticulture College & Life Skills, "in which a team of biologists has been six years unemployed young blacks to state-recognized gardeners and landscape designers developing.

That students learn incidentally, a cost estimate to prepare to use the Internet and to drive, is part of the curriculum. At the end of the loop is closed because the revenue from this nursery school was also the football project. "Every traveler to Grootbos supported our dream of football," says Lutzeyer.

Geysers at bargain prices.

Cheap travel to the land of the fjords and geysers: Holiday in Iceland is due to the economic crisis as effectively as never before. The tourists come in masses, but some will be disappointed - at hotels and car rental is the lower than expected savings.

 

Bubbling geysers, fjords and idyllic an economic crisis until shortly before the bankruptcy of state: The things for which Iceland is famous, in 2008, have a sad experience complement. Before the influx of tourists the country can now hardly save. This is because the Icelandic krona is in deep crisis crashed - Holidays on the otherwise expensive island is as cheap as ever.

"Feeling 20-30 percent" could vacationers walking or eating for excursion tours in the past saving, said David Johannsson, director of the Icelandic Tourist Board. And even if the word of "tourism crisis" does not like to hear the enthusiasm for Iceland is in spite of the difficult economic situation in Europe too.

"We had last year to attract tourists from all EU countries," said Johannsson. More than 50,000 Germans traveled to the island, twelve percent more than last year. And although the Icelandic crown after its nadir in the autumn since recovered somewhat recovered has swelled from the influx of Germany since the beginning of the year even more than before. In the first two months 2009 was the increase at 20 percent. Olafur Davidsson, Iceland's ambassador to Germany, takes it with humor: "The crisis has hit us sooner, so we have a certain advantage, because once again come out."

Cars and rooms remain expensive

It is not as Iceland has become cheap, such as the exchange rate suggests. Actually have the purchasing power of the euro on the island in fall temporarily almost tripled. But this is deceptive: "We have a large share of food import, and that is expensive for us now," said Johannsson. Cars also need for expensive euro should be introduced, and the hotel had their room rates before the crisis on the European currency.

"The beer in the evening may be cheaper," says Dagmar Kimmel by Iceland-Viking Travel Specialists. Many others will remain for Europeans, however, similarly expensive as before - even the organizers of the fares will not be reduced. Tourism Manager Johannson suspects that if all the tourists 15 percent cheaper to book than before the crisis.

This makes the currency turmoil of recent months, other countries to travel bargains. In the U.S., Europeans get today for a one-euro times as much dollars as in 2000. Even those who moved to England or Scotland, you can now save a lot of money: For the euro, there are 92 British pence - approximately one third more than in the summer of 2007. And in Poland, with the economic boom after the turn for vacationers had become increasingly expensive, the zloty to the level of 2004 has fallen.

These countries may, the money of tourists in the crisis so as to better use. "The people of Iceland need to tourism as a source of income," says trip organizer Kimmel. The Icelandic Tourist Board hopes that modest that 2009 similar to many vacationers visit the country as the 2008th "We do not expect huge boom," says Chief Saevar Skaptason.

Meanwhile, the organizers do not want to advertise to the crisis, but rather "the beauty of the country at the forefront," says Kimmel. But the economic turmoil has not only tourist destinations, but also the countries of origin of tourists recorded. And if the traveler so precisely on money than usual, could be 2009 but the crisis decide who flies while on vacation.

First Finalist for island dream job is clear.

To 150,000 votes in the finals: A candidate may be from Taiwan, thanks to online voting to fly to Australia. There will be ten comrades to the coveted job as an island ranger fight. A German is still in the race.

 

Sydney - A parachute jumping and klettererprobte Ãœbersetzerin Taiwan has made it into the finals for the "best job in the world" managed: Clare Wang sat down in an online vote against 49 competitors.
With over 150,000 supporters, she had three times as many votes as the second candidate. This makes her a flight to the interview on a paradise island in the Australian Great Barrier Reef safe.

As the prize is a half-year contract with a rich content to Hamilton Iceland
as "island-Ranger" with swimming pool and sea view unwind. Eleven candidates will be selected by the Tourism Authority of Queensland to an interview.

The remaining ten finalists in addition to Wang, the Tourist Office from a pool of 49 pre-select candidates who are against a total of nearly 35,000 applicants from all over the world have implemented.

AUSTRALIA-QUIZ

AP; Australian Tourist Commission; DPA

What happens if a Bikie with a Stubbie prefers to Barbie? Or, if a tourist on Table Mountain stapft Uluru? Each year, more Germans are flying to the other end of the world. Are you prepared for the Australia-adventure? Test your knowledge in Reisequiz!

Some of the finals participants operated tremendous effort to collect votes. The Australian Hailey Turner went on a trip around the world twelve to advertise in their own case to make - and for the island on the Great Barrier Reef. They hopped despite frosty temperatures on the New York Times Square around, chanted "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" in Tokyo Japan and built a temporary beach at London's Big Ben.

Although she could not Clare Wang from Taiwan in favor of the audience suggest, but still she hopes that the tourism authority in the top ten to be elected. At least on high media interest may be pleased Hunter: The BBC turns a television documentary on the adventurous Australian and four of their comrades.

Porn scandal meant Off

Your dream of a "best job in the world" had been buried in the Russian Julia Jalowizyna. While she was in competition at the most promising site. But the tourism authority in Queensland highlighted the Russian from the list of candidates. The reason: They should, according to the British newspaper "Sun" as a model for an illegal Internet porn site worked. Because permissive video footage of it on the net courses, she completed the organizers of the competition.

Meanwhile, there are
only a German candidate to compete for the dream job. After Achim Dold from Sydney withdrawing his application, and fight only Mirjam Novak from Bavaria to the job.

Australian advertises all over the world to vote.

It was cold in New York, Tokyo and sang in buddelte in London: Hailey Turner hopes for a dream job as Inselwärterin in Australia - and in this self-marketing in the metropolises of the world. One of her rivals was a porn scandal to doom.

 

Brisbane - Around the globe on votes in tight bikini showed Hailey Turner despite frosty temperatures on the New York Times Square, chanted "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" in Tokyo Japan and built a temporary beach at London's Big Ben. The 20-year-old is one of 50 finalists who are concerned about the coveted job as a keeper of the Australian island of Hamilton have advertised.

To improve their opportunities for the dream to increase, the Australian candidate, on a twelve-world advertising into their own thing - and for which the island in the Great Barrier Reef. Because only eleven candidates to the next round: Ten-elect of the Tourism Association of Queensland, the eleventh candidate is that which in an online vote will receive the most votes. Hailey Hunter may be even more attention on looking: The BBC turns a television documentary on the adventurous Australian and four of their comrades.

Your dream of a "best job in the world" had been buried, however, the Russian woman Julia Jalowizyna. While she was in competition at the most promising site. But the tourism authority in Queensland highlighted the Russian from the list of candidates. The reason: They should, according to the British newspaper "Sun" as a model for an illegal Internet porn site worked. Because permissive video footage of it on the net courses, she completed the organizers of the competition.

Meanwhile, there are
only a German candidate to compete for the dream job. After Achim Dold from Sydney withdrawing his application, and fight only Mirjam Novak from Bavaria to the job.

The
Advertising campaign by the Tourism Authority of the Australian state of Queensland had blown all expectations: nearly 35,000 people from all over the world sent about one-minute commercials that appear on the website
www.islandreefjob.com were published. 50 candidates were selected.

The winner may be from 1 July to six months as a Ranger on the paradise island of Hamilton in front of the Australian east coast to live - in a luxury apartment and converted to EUR 75,000 pocket money. The only work he or she must be in an Internet blog about the island reported.

Feast of garbage.

Desperately seeking creative solutions: The economic slowdown in the U.S. is an incentive for many to find new ways to go. km42-Jörg Pfeiffer reporter goes in search of people with unusual ideas - and begins its journey in garbage collectors in New York.

 

In the U.S. there is the worst economic crisis since 1929, millions fear for jobs and prosperity. The new President Barack Obama brings hope and new approaches - but alone it can not change the promised herbeizaubern. Much depends on the citizens themselves.

But there is between New York and San Francisco, between Minnesota and Texas not long ago many creative approaches to solving environmental, economic and social problems? Americans, who for many years and decades, try other ways than the masses to go and in the past not always been taken seriously? And Americans who are using the "Change" motto of its new president to inspire, even to become active?

[M] Jörg Pfeiffer
Treasure hunt in the garbage of New York: In the first contribution meets km42 Reporter Jörg Pfeiffer a group of people who only waste and exchange live

ONLINE blogs goes on a search for Weltverbesserern, activists, utopians, anarchists, visionaries, inventors and outs. Jörg Pfeiffer is responsible for the
interactive travel reportage km42 drove there, where the global economic crisis began. Eight weeks later, the video reporters the country from east to west through - from New York to Detroit, New Mexico to San Francisco - and with the camera and the camera stories hold that only the local people can tell.

Few in the U.S. Pfeiffer has arrived on the garbage of Manhattan fallen. On a nighttime stroll through the houses he has completed ten canyons accompanied by activists freegan, a movement whose members are the only consumer refuse and waste of life and barter transactions. In his
first video contribution "through the trash of New York" he reports from a special invitation to dinner - the meal consists only of waste of the city.

The reportage tour across the United States is the ninth
km42 trip to Jörg Pfeiffer blogs ONLINE readers take. A trained cameraman portrayed in countries such as India, Britain, Romania, Switzerland and Luxembourg - always with the support of the km42 community. In 2006 won the silver for the Lead Award in the category of "web feature of the year."

On the interactive site can km42 readers' tips on interesting places, stories or special people that are commenting on and contributions to the Google Maps route map Pfeiffer pursue.

From now on, Jörg Pfeiffer also several times a day on the
Micro-blogging service Twitter from his personal experiences on the report can be seen on the km42 and Twitter page. km42 "follower" who register at Twitter, get the text messages directly to their mobile phone to all. online blogs, readers get a glimpse behind the scenes, a making-of type of km42 reports.

KM42 - THE MEANING OF THE TRAVELING

Jörg Pfeiffer

Share your best vacation tips with users of the community of travel blogs ONLINE. Our reporter Jörg Pfeiffer travels back and reported live.
Here's to km42.

Baden as Brigitte Bardot.

Hiking on smugglers paths, relax in the Pirate's Cove: The suburbs of Rio de Janeiro has adventures beyond samba, carnival and Sugarloaf. Even before the tourists came, filmmakers discovered the region - and Brigitte Bardot was here for their favorite beach.

 

Rio de Janeiro - from orchids, ferns and lichens overgrown jungle giants along the old path in the middle of the rainforest. Only a few hours' drive south of
Rio de Janeiro, the National Park Serra da Bocaina - but it feels like the deepest Amazon. The air is humid tropical, with the wet moss-covered stones every step will probably be thoughtful.

Hard to imagine how this 250 years ago, smugglers with gold, silver, diamonds and coffee loaded horses to the Atlantic coast to Parati could penetrate. Even more incredible is how thousands of slaves to the stony Schmugglerweg through the thicket of the rainforest could ever create. But it was the only way to the customs posts of the Portuguese colonial masters and to circumvent the goods to smuggle out of the country. Today the old Schmugglerweg one of the most attractive trails in the national park.

LATIN AMERICAN QUIZ

AP

  Ay, Caramba! From Carnival in Rio, have you heard? They know that sooner Maradona successful football played? Then it almost a Latin American expert - is not it? Test your knowledge in blogs ONLINE quiz!

Luciano Freire suddenly stops at. "Listen you will, we are the same since," says the trekking guide. First, the noise in the roar of monkeys in Macaco, the high in the treetops Unfug drive. Then the dark noise of the waterfalls Veados clearly be heard. The soil is moist, the thunder of falling water growing ever louder, until they finally can be seen: Spectacular falls the water from 100 meters height in the depth. The drizzle is after eight hours walking a wonderful refreshment, even the sight of the waterfalls are among the finest in the country.

Overnight in the vicinity in a simple hut. The next morning is very early on. The daily stage is 18 kilometers. Again and again have small mountain streams to cross, often is the path disappeared, and the hiking boots sinking deep in mud. The chirping of parrots and toucans accompanied the walkers at every step. Even monkeys, tapirs, giant anteaters and sloths bears are here in the National Park on the border between the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo home.

Backdrop for colonial era films

The Serra da Bocaina stretches to Parati from. The town lies in a fjord-like bay. "Oh God, if it is a paradise on earth exist, then it would be this piece of earth is similar," said even the sailors and explorers Amerigo Vespucci at the sight of the little fishing village of Guaiana-Indians. Parati Today is one of the best preserved colonial cities in the country.

After the 17th Century in Minas Gerais gold was discovered, mauserte the small village to the thriving town since it is at the end of the famous gold and coffee route was. With the dry up gold mines also fell Parati long forgotten, until in the fifties, its historical and especially tourist value was rediscovered. The UNESCO has listed Parati. Countless films about the colonial era were shot here. The directors had not much to change the backdrop. Perhaps Thomas Mann would have been here even a family drama like "Buddenbrooks" can play, would be his mother Julia, grew up in Parati, with her family not to Lübeck withdrawn. Your house is a cultural center since 1997.

Cars are in the cobbled streets of taboo. The whitewashed houses are pretty full with brightly painted balconies and windows and doors decorated. The port is no less brightly painted wooden boats, one of the upstream jungle islands.

Ilha Grande is the largest among hundreds of small islands in the south Rios. The mile-long beach of Lopes Mendes is one of many visitors to the most beautiful in the world. Many tourists are also pulls in the small, rain forests, hidden between bays, where centuries ago pirates hid that gold to the Portuguese ships had apart. Ilha Grande was then the hub for African slaves and after World War II prisoner island. Until 1994 the prison was blown up, and instead of new prisoners are now increasingly tourists who come to settle on the almost unpopulated island to recover.

Dream beaches and Noble stores

Something a tourist is in the north of the state of Rio. In addition to the dream beaches of Arraial do Cabo attracts especially the peninsula of Búzios, already in the seventies by Brigitte Bardot to the best-known seaside resort of South America was. Today touristically overcrowded, Búzios is precious with its boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs like the "St. Tropez of Brazil referred.

Brazilian culture and history are in the interior experience. Only a few hours away from Rio, in the vicinity of the town Vassouras in the highlands of the former colonial Fazendas coffee barons visited. The coffee here tastes kinglike. Imperial but is in only 65 kilometers away from Rio Petrópolis, where the Brazilian imperial family in the cool mountain climate means its summer residence had.

The museum now serves as the Emperor's Palace of Pedro II was in the forties of the 19th Century. Horse-drawn carriages, beautiful colonial buildings and the French-Gothic cathedral can hardly imagine that here in South America is located. Petrópolis in 2010, the house of Stefan Zweig opened as a museum. The famous Austrian writer Petrópolis spent his last years here before he committed suicide. From his house you can almost see the Serra dos Orgãos. The park is know for its rock formations, which from a distance like a huge church organ look like organ pipes also called Mountains and is climbing and hiking fans a popular tourist destination.

Heino on Radio Siam.

Around the clock Nicki, Udo and Wolfgang Niedecken: A radio station in Thailand plays only German songs. In the online video, there is also Heinz Rühmann and the "Augsburger Puppenkiste" - Berlin has a resourceful business in Bangkok with the homesickness discovered.

 

What it is not everything! The German musicians, who some years ago a radio quota for Gesangsgut called her, had her pure joy in this channel. Just ran the song of "De Holzhackerleit funny", then comes Gunter Gabriel, and blithely go on: first, Udo Jürgens, then Nicki ( "I am a Bavarian Cowgirl"), Udo Lindenberg, Heino, Nena, Hans Albers and Lale Andersen with their trench-sweeper "Lili Marleen".

How to do this for almost a year: no English pop, not a French chanson, not Italo-schmaltzy and, for heaven's sake, no languishing Indians - instead, everything rank and name has between Flensburg and Tyrol. When Thomas Nieberle only "100 percent of German music on the station. "Honor" of the Berlin finally knows what the customer wants - nothing exotic in any case, he observed: "The German wants songs."

But where it gets these days? "A real gap in the market" has Nieberle recognized, "clearly". Nieberle is a flexible person. Everything possible, he has in his life already, run a restaurant, a computer fair in Germany ( "Comba") organized a video rental was founded. Why not also build a station?

At home, he has a few computers and a CD player, and now almost enough for a start-up companies in the media industry. The main messages is talking with a friend sonorous radio voice: "You hear radio Siam, hits, hits and good humor." Is being sent via the Internet (
www.radio-siam.de), a radio frequency for the capital is already applied. Now only have the authorities involved. But leave it to slowly approach, once again. Everything just needs his time in Thailand. Not all are as soon as Thomas Nieberle.

Expansion planned, reporters are still missing

Nieberle, 49, sits in the beer garden of the restaurant "In the case of petrol." Black waiters in drag costumes Weissbier glasses into the open, next door to cover families with bread and Swiss Löwensenf an above him hangs a scarf from VfB Stuttgart, and before loading dangles a flag of the "Bild"-Zeitung. If not now and then a mendicant elephant vorbeigetrottet would, one might think, Nieberle had lost somewhere in southern Germany. Nieberle but sits in the center of Bangkok.

LAST EXIT ...

In the South Seas, the Caribbean or the Pacific? Reaching the Cape of Good Hope or to Koh Lanta? In the Moloch of Bangkok or Beijing? German emigrants make their dream of a new life true.

What drives them? What do they want in the distance? Issues facing blogs correspondent Thilo Thielke in his column "Last Exit ..." after it.

He wears a T-shirt with the words "Florida" and sweating. "When I first license for Bangkok have, I cover the whole area being referred to Hua Hin and Pattaya from" enthuses the radio. Pattaya! How many potential listeners are as herumtreiben! On the beach. At the bars. In the retirement homes. Thousands, tens of thousands to possibly peak. The whole environment of Bangkok teems formally by Teutones.

But of all the beginning is difficult. 60 to 100 listeners now click on "Radio Siam 'hourly one. This is not the big money. Reporters are still missing, but desperately wanted. Advertising, after all, is already now and then. Nieberle is still convinced of his idea: the business with the homesickness.

He knows it quite well themselves: that feeling which is so beautifully sung about in "Take us with Captain": "Some people believe today, far from the home country / out there blooming happiness / pride has fully into the world looking / and will never return to the house / in the stranger, he was a rich man / but he was not happy / and submit a ship from Hamburg to / he stands on the quay and speaks. " Well, and then he just wants to be nuts back home: "Take all my money," in his homeland finally glow stars and so on.

If they are not actually all so the outliers - wherever they may be stuck? Has Nieberle thought. Why they would otherwise sit in Thailand or in Majorca or in the Caribbean and stuff around there the whole time that German sausage in it, pour with Weissbier and devour the "image", even if it is two days old?

From "Augsburger Puppenkiste" to "Geierwally"

For 15 years, Nieberle in Thailand. The woman had lured him, like so many. It is up to him initially in the province followed by Udon Thani, the rice grown in the northeast of the country. But there was little electricity and no telephone and no German music there. After a while Nieberle packed his bags and moved to Bangkok, in the "City of Angels", in the juggernaut, where one is not quite so much as leave happens, where it is now "Bavarian dumplings and mustard Bautz'ner" was and where lots of people stranded after Heino Heintje and longing.

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But: What to do? Nieberle thought. Hairdressers, taxi drivers or architect, he was able to abschminken because such professions in Thailand Foreigners may not exercise. Other divisions, where the locals could compete, are sometimes fatal. There are leaves as "TIP newspaper for Thailand", in which it horror stories about murdered people whose death is often disguised as suicide is the only way swarms.

Since the idea came to him with the longing.

First he created a video ( "Movie World") with German films or those which are synchronized german. Then he built the transmitter on. The video business is doing quite well now. 65 customers order at least sporadically, "Geierwally", "Feuerzangenbowle" or the "Augsburger Puppenkiste". 5000 Nieberle title has to offer, he gets it directly from a wholesaler from Germany. You can borrow the films, but also to buy. Most customers come from Phuket, the tourist island off the west coast.

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Radio Siam, Bangkok

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But the market is large. Each year, more than half a million German tourists in the country. Many thousands of Germans hold meanwhile more or less permanently in Thailand. "The boom does not cease," says Nieberle, "the women are beautiful and cheap, the sun is shining, the food is great." And there are German sausages and German beer, and now German Schlager.

For many looks as a paradise on earth from.

The sufferings of the great Mr Singh.

Spectacular mountain location, hundreds of bridges, the railway line from Kalka to Shimla after India is a masterpiece of engineering. The train itself, however, is extremely slow and poses for some major human threats - as a reward waiting for the spectacular views of the Himalayas.

 

Mr Singh goes into coverage. The door to the wagon is designed for high-rise Indians too low. His white turban makes entry even more complicated. The Toy Train, the "toy train", by the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh goes, everything is a bit smaller. For example, the tracks with only one lane width from 76.2 centimeter.

The narrow gauge railway runs through the Lower and Middle Himalayas. It connects the cities of Kalka and Shimla. Snowy Himalayan peaks are significant only in the target in Shimla to recognize. However, the Toy Train for tourists and visitors from the extremely popular domestically. In India are also other trains such as the Toy Train Darjilingbahn as described.

Mr Singh is around with his four family from New Delhi to Kalka traveled. He is an old and noble tribe of Rajput warriors who mainly settled in the state of Rajasthan. Because many of the Rajput Otto-Normal-Indians to a length above the head, they are happy in the capital as security guards used.

Mr. Singh worked as a receptionist in a man luxury hotel in Delhi. Because body size and dress neatly flay impression, this is an ideal position for him. In low Toy Train is the ideal seating position for Mr Singh. Other passengers to experience the ride while standing. Not because of the Toy Train overcrowded, but because the landscape of the open Waggontür itself would like to pass. No Schaffner protested against.

Because the risk of falling to the deadly hurt, is significantly lower than in other traits. The Toy Train bummelt with only 15 km / h average speed through the countryside. Drive train in India is generally a cozy affair. While many trains in Europe tend to remember oiled bursts, the average speed on the subcontinent 38 km / h.

In Kalka begins the journey. As the green flag is the signal for the train departure: All aboard! Beware of the descent! Children playing winking, comfortable two chickens from the tracks. The diesel jerky starts, the slow pace produces only a weak wind, the tropical climate inside the car barely cools.

In the slow pace of the Himalayas

Shortly after the train station, the route to breathtaking cliffs. Massive stone walls safeguard the route against landslides and rockfalls. They let some of the burden guessed that the former British colonial rulers operated for over a hundred years ago to relocate the tracks.

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As the train rolls, the magnificent landscape and construction work. The rail line is to drill through more than a hundred tunnels, balance on spectacular escarpments over and runs over a total of 864 bridges. An architectural masterpiece, as the foothills of the Himalayas are here are extremely steep and precipitous. The houses seem to be not merely to cling to the slopes - they cling firmly established regelrecht.

Despite the pungent sun, the lush green nature, a frequent consequence of the monsoon rains. Cedar, spruce and oak trees are reminiscent of Europe's mountain landscapes. If you are lucky, spied on Zugfenster from black bears. Still rare and shy are the leopards.

Less rare are apple trees that are surprisingly numerous species. The climate is ideal for fruit, it grows so well that the residents in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh a few years ago started to be built cider. The is now regarded as a popular specialty.

For the 96-kilometer route to the terminal after Shimla are five to six hours driving time. Precisely predict can not. The length of stay in stations does not depend on the schedule, but by the speed of embarking passengers. And their leisureliness fits entirely in the Zugtempo.

In Summerhill, one of the stops, Mr. Singh leaves for himself and his wife, a highly sugared Gewürztee flying from a dealer through the window range. While the tea bag eintunkt, it comes into raptures: "Where I come from, there is only sand and clay." The many green do his eyes good.

Holiday destination for civil servants

The village of Summerhill was by the British in the 19th Century, as a stopover on the way to Shimla set up. The colonial rulers withdrew in the summer months, when the plains are often unbearably hot, like back in the mountains. In Shimla there liked them so well that the place from 1834 to 1939 to the summer capital of the whole of British India was. The entire bureaucracy was with bag and baggage in the Himalayas relocated. First, the former capital city of Calcutta, and later by New Delhi. An endless caravan of up to 20,000 carrier members, withdrew earlier in the summer of each year throughout the country.

To this drudgery to end, it was the end of the 19th Century with the construction of the railway began. 1903 the first train rolled by after Kalka Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla was built on several hills. On one of them is the legendary Wildflower Hall Hotel in fairy-tale castle look. Here began the bed mogul Rai Oberoi to build his successful hotel chain.

After the Toy Train to almost 2100 meters above sea level one last curve has made it rolls into the station of Shimla On. The Christian Church, a legacy of the British, and pale yellow thrones on a Grat. evident from where the spectacular peaks of the Himalayas to recognize.

The church is the endpoint of the Mall, a long shopping street, across the ridge moves. The shops in the British colonial style, reminiscent of pedestrian zones in Oxford or Brighton. Until the First World War was the only road from the Kolonialherrschern be entered.

Colorful and lively was already always on the Lower Mall to. Between daring to rock-built houses found a daily street market. Fine fragrant herbs and colorful fabrics are offered for sale. Shoemakers, basket and scissors grinders offer their services. Even there are buggies for hire - all with an electric piano to prevent the little ones are busy. The pesky Geklimper bother anyone here. Indeed, in a mumble of voices and craftsmen noise is completely under.

Mr. Singh has his youngsters in one of these vehicles stowed again and pulls the skull one. Almost he had his head pushed in a grid. It serves to monkeys everywhere here herumstrolchen, away from the balconies. "I must be careful and go slow," Mr Singh embarrassed smiles. Bummelzug first, then shopping - in the Himalayas turn down a corridor. Whether voluntary or forced.

Roadtrip to rock'n'roll.

Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison: The U.S. state of Tennessee was the chosen home of famous artists from Rock, Country and Soul. A trip on the "Music Highway" is a musical history lesson - Encounters with living legends included.

 

Creative center in the southeastern United States: Tennessee played in the musical history of each country a central role like no other region. The state, bordered by the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the Mississippi in the west, was the impact site known musicians such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Isaac Hayes and Roy Orbison. The traffic artery, Interstate 40, was excellent "Music Highway" baptized.

A Roadtrip through the history of the Sounds of the USA starts in Nashville. The capital of the state is not without reason "Music City" called. The four label giants Sony, EMI, Warner and Universal have branches here and make the 500,000-inhabitant city besides New York to the heart of the U.S. music industry.

In the legendary RCA Studio B Elvis took 250 hits, including the early sixties, "Are you lonesome tonight" and "It's now or never". Even Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison or the Everly Brothers produced there. Tourist Main attraction is the Country Music Hall of Fame, a museum, the Country-story.

Before Layla's Bluegrass Inn on Broadway in Downtown is a girl with Haarkamm and stretch pants in leopard pattern. Wippt your head to the beat. From inside scheppert intense sound that they call here Hellbilly. The entrance guarded by a bouncer tube jeans and Hanfblattgürtelschnalle. Ultimately, he released the door. The shop is bursting at the seams.

Between cowboy hats and lard cleats

On stage, roars his Hank Williams III micro, as did the evil in the world responsible. In addition, a violently plucks the bass. The music is aggressive, the mood is not. Cowboyhüte and lard cleats durchpflügen the air. A drunken dancer withdraws zappelnd shirt over her breasts.

TRAVEL SONG QUIZ

Musicians are constantly on tour, see the big stars on their tours, the hotel lobbies in the world and can be combined to form new song inspired beads. No wonder that many pop classics of travel to distant countries to act? how many do you know?

The heavily tattooed Hank roars on. Then, his voice suddenly whiskeywarm. It is the tradition of caring for a rebel, of Nashville's story writes, although he was once his city as "Trash City" besang and the old sound ansagte the fight. His grandfather was the legendary Hank Williams, one of the most influential country musicians and inspiration for Johnny Cash.

From the Country euphoria and everything that came afterwards, also wants something Tiara Sky abhaben. The Mittzwanzigerin with the long blond hair is around half past one at night on the sidewalk and played dreamy melodies. She is alone, and without hübsch record contract.

In her suitcase guitar are a few dollar bills and self-CDs and their songs: "Ten dollars the piece," she says, "do you want a photo of me to buy?" The CD finds a buyer who agrees to thank Tiara's recent song to: "I walk alone".

Visit to Johnny Cash

On the following day is a visit to Hendersonville, 20 miles northeast of downtown Nashville, on the program. The grave of Johnny Cash is an important pilgrimage destination for music. On a wide, open grass area is Cash's grave in one of the front rows. The fifth anniversary of his death is only a few weeks ago, here are fresh arrangements, three picks, a single and a letter: "I have nowhere else to go to 'visit' you. Today you have been gone 5 years. I miss you so much I can hardly breathe. We'll meet again sweet dad. I love you. "

Continue the trip on the Music Highway west. Next stop is the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Jackson halfway to Memphis. This often occurs W.S. Holland. "Fluke," said business card as his nickname, has for decades played with Johnny Cash. Until most recently, they worked together. Holland, who lives nearby, give tourists a taste here and more of his skills - all without Gage. This assures the lady from the local tourist office.

Even now defines the 73-year-old into the stuff. The drums on the small stage has probably already no longer sticks and breaks seen in the first blow almost together. Country singer Rayburn Anthony Fluke accompanied by guitar and deep voice to "Saint Louis Blues" and "Folsom Prison Blues." It is witnessed music history.

History, for the Holland claims: "Nobody had drums then." The drum veteran - white hair, sunglasses, Hawaiian shirt - tells of the past, when he was 1954 with rockabilly pioneer Carl Perkins at Sun Records in Memphis "as the first drummer ever" recordings. Because the drums as a rhythm instrument was gradually incorporated into the Rock'n'Roll. As a 19-year-old Holland has played with Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis. From 1960 he played with Johnny Cash.

In the Hall of Fame, it is stories like these, which are to be maintained. Elvis, Perkins and Cash looking pictures on the walls. In addition to photographs, everything is as what the good collection of a true admirer of: vinyl, concert posters and memorabilia absurd - even a defibrillator, which was once the King of Rock'n'Roll was used.

A street wrote music history

Continue on Interstate 40 to Memphis. Here is the Beale Street historic distillate of the music boom that the city as a melting pot of cultures experienced. With its illuminated signs, it is like a UFO in the desertified downtown, where once the soul, the Rhythm'n'Blues and the rock'n'roll of the way was paved.

Decades ago, Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Records, Ike Turner at the Beale Street sent to look for new talent to keep. What he found was Tina, so for her first record deal came from. Later he devoted himself to white musicians, which he built Rockabilly stars. "Welcome to the legendary Sun Studio, the birthplace of Rock'n'Roll", which welcomes about 40 Cora music tourists, who for twelve U.S. dollars per occurrence on a tour through the old reception rooms participate.

In 1954 was Elvis' first single "That's All Right Mama" at Sun published. A photograph in the studio on Union Avenue provides a historical evidence. It shows the "Million Dollar Quartet: Elvis at piano, surrounded by Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash - in the same room where the group currently stands.

Soul and segregation

As the "Memphis Sound" is still not rock'n'roll, but the soul has become famous. This was due to the legendary soul label Stax, which in the sixties furor. In McLemore Avenue today, there is the supposedly "only museum in the Soul World."

On the screen at the cinema hall of the Stax Museum tells the musician Booker T. Jones, the history of the label. "When Martin Luther King not been shot, it would still operate Stax," says Jones. "It turned suddenly everything just for the race. The people asked us: 'Why is it with these types of white?"

In the sixties, as in the public life of the United States legally legitimized segregation still had the soul label of understanding a role play. Large proportion had Jones's The Booker T & The machine guns, a four-man formation with two black and two white members.

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After the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968 it went downhill with the legendary label with Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, Otis Redding and many others had become great. The mid-seventies, it was economically ruined.

Money is the musical heritage of Tennessee today mainly made in Graceland, the last home of Elvis Presley. In the adjacent "Meditation Gardens, where the King, together with parents and grandmother at the splashing fountain is buried, the twittering of the many digital cameras as visitors attracted sparrows. $ 38 cost of admission. $ 80 is spent, who is next to the villa as Elvis icing on the cake 'car and airplane collection will marvel.

About the Center distributed jostle a half-dozen souvenir shops to buyers for Plüschcadillacs pink or wall, their legs shaped like the typical pendulum Hüftschwung imitate Elvis. If this is the "King" knew. His father left behind in the 1977 inscription of the bronze grave stone: "God saw that he needed rest, and called him to himself."

Brits want to rename the Sears Tower.

The Sears Tower, Chicago landmark and the highest skyscraper in North America, will get a new name: The London insurance broker Willis Group Holdings pulls out a name and has the rights to buy the tower.

 

Washington - 442 meters of the towers on Chicago Sears Tower - or, as the tallest building in North America gets a new name. Future plans of the 110-story tower "Tower Willis' hot, after the London insurance broker Willis Group Holdings where some 13,000 square meters of office space is rented.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. retail group Sears, in the tower until the nineties had its headquarters, called the name change "sad," wrote the New York Times on Friday. The skyscraper was when it opened 1973 as the world's tallest building.

The building was built after 2003, when the rights of the trade group on behalf of the skyscraper expired were still called the Sears Tower. According to U.S. media, the high-rise in June officially registered in the name Willis Tower be baptized. First Internet Surveys "Chicago Tribune" triggers to reject the renaming, hardly anyone gives the new name a chance.

The skyscraper was built three years of work. Inside are 104 lifts on the road. Overall, around 354 000 square meters are rented out - the space of about 35 football fields. In 1998, the Petronas Twin Towers in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur (approximately 452 meters) to the Sears Tower as the title of "tallest building in the world" in dispute.

A boiler Buntes.

Festival of Colors: When Holifest in India besmirch the participants with all kinds of colorful waters Chen. Whether this is good for skin and hair, may be questioned - a newspaper warned against the dangers of detail.

 

Societal differences, gender and age play on this day does not matter: The Indian Holifest is a very colorful celebration of the spring will be welcome. People write in with colors that fly from balconies filled with colored water balloons, in the towns and villages, there is exuberant party atmosphere with music, song and dance.

"Holi Hai!" - "Happy Holifest!" - Greet the participants, especially for children, the celebration every year on the first Full Moon in March held a special experience. But it's not just about a lot of color: In India, different traditions, how people celebrate this special day, as the newspaper "Times of India reported.

In the city of Rajkot, it is customary that one strange wild man on the street may be wildly insult. The centuries-old tradition is to go back, that once a couple of friends decided to settle their conflicts that they have everything for a few hours of insults to throw his head, which stopped them.

In the village Dalvana near Palanpur is Holifest a wedding celebrated drama: Two groups that represent the bride and groom should deliver a singing duel at the end of which the bride and the man rejects.

In Visnagar-Mehsana in the region provided that the inhabitants used to be a battle with shoes that to this end all year long collected. It was believed that great wealth that is imminent, of a shoe is made. Today, the shoes, however, replaced by vegetables.

The usual procedure is, however, in the largest part of the country remain out of the cheerful colors battle. However, health is not quite as harmless as some synthetic paints.

The Times of India, therefore, advised in an extensive catalog of Holi tips, among other things, hair and skin prior to moisturizer or oil einzureiben, a cap to wear and mainly red and pink, so using green, yellow and purple tones often contain harmful chemicals. Also recommended, no kerosene or petrol for the distance to be used. Frequently, the festival participants for days on skin color.

Mutprobe the soup pot.

Iguana soup on Curaçao was once an Everyman court. Today try especially courageous Caribbean tourists to the leathery reptile. For example, in the restaurant Playa Forti - there are the stories of the cheerful cook an experience.

 

That is a nice greeting: A cannon is waiting next to the entrance of the restaurant. The estuary is aimed directly at the occurrence. Links of the rusted pipe grow tropical plants, right shimmering turquoise sea. From the nearby beach bathers Gejohle penetrates the children over. With both hands, Maria Luisa holds a cast iron cannonball seelenerwärmend and smiles. "The I have a few years ago found in the garden," she says, "when Umkrautjäten."

Holy Kanonenrohr such heavy guns in the Caribbean paradise? The answer to the riddle: The Restaurant Playa Forti by Maria Luisa was built on the ruins of an old weir built at the beginning of the 19th Century by British occupiers erected. In the island language Papiamentu Forti is an old word for fort.

Papiamentu is the residents still speak. After the official language, Dutch is the second official idiom, a creole mishmash of elements from Spanish, Portuguese, English and Dutch. 1816 conquered the island of the Netherlands and expelled the British. "That would not happen to them if they had eaten iguana soup," claims Maria Luisa, "because the force does."

Since then, the old cannon that is on the rocky outcrop in the far west of the island, where there are first-class diving spots. "Man has often tried to steal it," says Maria Luisa, "but for the thin Muchachos from the village, it is too difficult." The barges had Halbstarker with a water pipe. Over night, it was Maria Luisa Restaurant off. Therefore, the water for a few days off.

Fresh ketchup Leguan in bucket

With two white buckets, according to the label once ketchup contained drags the 62-year-old has the whole day out of water, which they can tap when neighbors. With the last moment she wants cargo iguana soup to prepare. Den takes a bucket to wash skinned iguanas. The other for the broth.

Your restaurant Playa Forti is on the inside like an oversized letter. Krimskrams crowded with all kinds and a plethora of articles reminder of bygone days. The Christmas decorations will not only decreased.

One or twice a week comes the typical Maria Luisa Island court. In the fifties, came after the Colombian native Curacao. "People were quite pointed wildly," she says, "for the locals, it was like a ritual, iguana soup to eat." At that time they've cooked the court every day.

But the modern eating habits make the traditional cuisine at the Curaçao gradually Garaus. In the roads after Willemstad, the capital, is part an international fast food outlet at the other. No wonder, because the young islanders develop while craving for burgers and fries, but not cooked lizards.

Nature conservation is another reason why the soup kitchen at Maria Luisa nowadays often remains cold. Because the population of animals on Curacao varies, sometimes as iguanas are protected, then not. To be on the safe side, it applies to the animals from a farm. But the lizards have cultivated their price, so the iguana soup little profit. "I cook is really only for foreigners," says Maria Luisa, otherwise on Creole stews and fish dishes is.

Tough exterior and interior very delicate

Thus, it is mainly tourists who are lizards the meat taste like. Most guests come from Venezuela - Curacao is just 60 kilometers off the coast of Venezuela - and the Netherlands. The Netherlands Antilles, which includes Curacao, a country of the Dutch Kingdom. In the coming months will be on Curaçao, however, a referendum on the nature of future political affiliation to the Netherlands to take place.

Many of their guests would Leguan spoons of soup as a Mutprobe consider reports Maria Luisa. Almost as bite-Urlaubsexotik. Somehow, because in the live condition arouses in reptile's pampered eaters from the North Atlantic food hemisphere rather than Ekelgefühle culinary associations.

"Tastes a little like chicken, right?" Asks Maria Luisa. In fact. While the eye only to the unusual sight of skinned, kitchen finished iguanas have become accustomed, it has been easier for the tongue. In the cooked state of the meat recalls in a well durchgekochtes Suppenhuhn. Light and delicate fibrous. The iguanas in the Caribbean are therefore also "green chicken" mentioned.

These are not all green iguanas. There are also brown and gray items. Of the non-toxic green leaves Maria Luisa fingers. The more intense the green, the more likely it is that the animal is not fit. Iguanas live in trees with fondness. Some in the branches of a native, inedible for humans apple variety. If an iguana with these manzanillas the belly has vollgeschlagen, his skin is greener than green - and the bad people.

"The lads are pretty harsh"

The comparison with the chicken makes it not just to taste. Heard it in Europe to the old home recipes, sick and weakened people of chicken soup to administer, have been on Curaçao with the iguana soup once the suffering aufgepäppelt. The iguana is seen as extremely tough and strong resistance. "For some beating heart even if it has already started, the animal is excluded," says Maria Luisa. "The boys are pretty tough."

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To creep and to come crawling temperature, iguanas need plenty of heat. In the cool dawn, they however complacent and abgeschlafft. "When we used to have even hunted, we needed only in the morning to go the park and the iguanas aufzuklauben," says Maria Luisa.

It says the Christoffel National Park. Featured in Nature with its multitude of flowers and birds as well as cave paintings, Native American Indian is only a stone's throw away from Playa Forti. In addition to paradisiacal beaches is the now-protected area to the main attractions Curaçao.

Maria Luisa is no longer even on the stalk. But now and again they demonstrated their guests a fun fishing method, with which she began earlier Iguanas: On a broomstick attached to a plastic cord. With two or three simple knot makes it into a noose. A plastic lizard, which they are concerned for this purpose is used as guinea pigs. Snap! - Depends on the toys already in the lasso loop. "A pretty creature," laughs Maria Luisa, "but I think too tough!"

Because in the German market halls Leguan no meat to buy, and Maria Luisa iguana soup recipe works well with chicken, is Here is a recipe for traditional Leguan-or chicken soup.

Sweet and sour pork instead of duck.

There are white, or Haxen currywurst - Canton-diet, however, is frowned upon: A Badischer toy dealer brings the Chinese since 1984, German cuisine close. Now he tries to Hong Kong, the world economic crisis auszusitzen.

 

Maybe very well that he now runs two parallel, thinks Peter Seeger. What crazy times. What particularly insecure times! Particularly, he opened the newspaper and that he has actually already spoiled the day. Slump in exports by 21.8 percent compared to last year, reports the Wall Street Journal "- the worst figure since 1958:" It is believed that Hong Kong's economy, which already is in recession, in 2009 a further three percentage is shrinking. " Long the global crisis has reached Asia.

Toy dealer Peter Seeger takes a sip from his powerful Schneider Weissbier. Crisis makes thirsty. Next door sits a Bayer before his second Hellen, and back in the corner to beat a couple of Chinese pork belly with Knuckles, with pork, full. Fortunately Peter Seeger heard the pub. Business with Barbie, Godzilla and Tamagotchi will not run particularly well at present. In the port of Hong Kong, the stacked containers, and all projections suggest that as soon nothing will change.

In September 1984 he was the second leg the "Biergarten" (8 Hanoi Road, Kowloon) opened at the mouth of the Perlflusses established. Hong Kong, he obviously knew a long time, since the early seventies. Finally, it was here all the toys produced by the children in the affluent West the time expelled - "Made in Hong Kong" was the hallmark of excellence for the global Plastikkram, Seeger and deserved not bad on the boom.

A place for German Gemütlichkeit

In this glittering metropolis to live in that entrepreneurs from the province of Baden sometime well imagine, and because he was not alone. With the growing Far East business came more and more German entrepreneurs to Hong Kong - "6000 will become holders of a Hong Kong ID card," says Seeger. Daytime scheffelten she had money and made important statements, and after service they are closing longed after Eisbein and Haxe, Weissbier, dumplings and sauerkraut and wanted not only Chinese Tsingtao beer drinking and eating sweet and sour duck.

LAST EXIT ...

In the South Seas, the Caribbean or the Pacific? Reaching the Cape of Good Hope or to Koh Lanta? In the Moloch of Bangkok or Beijing? German emigrants make their dream of a new life true.

What drives them? What do they want in the distance? Issues facing Asia-blogs correspondent Thilo Thielke in his column "Last Exit ..." after it.

"A place for German comfort in this frantic, vibrant city to create - a look that would be an idea", thought Seeger, and made the "Biergarten - German Pub and Restaurant" on. "Home far away from home" should be his slogan. The business would grumble.

By the act of entrepreneurs with more toys, finally Seeger was not in the main professional restaurateur. But times changed, and changed with Hong Kong. Gradually, more and more factories have relocated their headquarters to China, the Hong Kong 1997, to be returned. So Hong Kong lost its role as a bridgehead of the United Kingdom and its significance as a low-cost producer. Instead, the city developed the first commercial, later became a banking center. And Seeger was now no more than asking buyers of toys, but as an intermediary between the big chains like Toys' R 'Us and the Chinese toy manufacturers.

Of the Hong Kong Chinese, he can learn a lot, Seeger says: "As the industry in the late eighties in Hong Kong collapsed, all had expected that it is a blow to millions of unemployed people would give - but what happened? The people saddled by - to waiters or taxi drivers - the shift went smoothly. The huge factory buildings were converted into warehouses. " For career success was compounded when Seeger's personal happiness. He married a Taiwan and was once again father.

"Chinese are world champions in learning"

But how will the future look like? Currently, all the characters to a storm. And Hong Kong, it seems, is a bottleneck between China and the United States with most of the global economic crisis. "The main buyers were the Chinese but so far the Americans," says Seeger and admits: "It looks bad out, 2009 can already write off." And clearly, the impact on the restaurant said: "Less business means less business means less customers."

Seeger remains an optimist. "Asia is the crisis more effectively than the rest of the world," he believes "the people here react faster, the best production facilities are here, people work harder, and Chinese are the world champions in learning."

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In the past 20 years, hardly even a worker can turn out one days. Quite the contrary: "They are all glad and happy when they work longer, and the shop is going well - then they can also earn more." Even when he moved to the economic conditions in Hong Kong thinks he go into raptures: "Maximum tax rate 15 percent, and import duties on beer and wine were abolished completely."

Only the high office rents are a problem. Nowhere in the world, they are higher than in the seven-million-inhabitant metropolis. More than 145 euros per square meter should be hinblättern, in Tokyo, it is only slightly more than 132 euros, and the London West End is in comparison to Hong Kong after just cheap: Because we will pay "only" 116 euros. Of course, the impact on prices. For the pork with sauerkraut and mashed potato takes Seeger 145 Hong Kong dollars (the currency is the U.S. dollar) - which makes up nearly 15 euros. And half a liter of beer (Bitburger) costs outside of happy hour about seven euros.

"Our currywurst is the best in town"

No wonder that in the neighborhood Italian restaurants, such as mushroom. Hardly any food is cheaper than the Italian - "clear that a pizzeria a higher profit margin than a German, or rather, a French restaurant." Of this, that the guests continue to come in his beer garden, is still convinced Seeger: "The German cuisine is better than its reputation, and our currywurst is the best in the city."

Will he eventually come back to Germany? Seeger, it can not be ruled out. Even now he is five or six times a year in the vicinity of Karlsruhe. His two daughters from first marriage are now themselves become parents. Seeger is grandfather. His wife also wants some of the world. "You should never say never," says Seeger. Maybe one day he makes a China restaurant in southern Germany on.

Fairy Tale Land of the Incas.

A rainbow of colors in the mountains: When camping holidays in the north of Argentina, the Andes show a particularly spectacular side. Wilde Lamaherden, white salt lakes, and colorful mountains enchant the visitors - and a train ride takes you directly into the clouds.

 

Purmamarca - Star Clear and cold is the night in 2200 meters altitude. In the moonlight, the silhouettes of the giant cactuses on the nearby ridge to see. Between the village church and cemetery there is the small campground of Purmamarca, a 2000-souls-village in the Quebrada de Humahuaca. The 150 kilometers long, low vegetation ravine in the province of Jujuy in northwest Argentina, since 2003 belongs to the Unesco World Heritage Site. "Very bizarre, in such an area to sleep and wake up," says Susanne Schulze from Erfurt, the backpackers here than is on their impressions.

Cerro de los Siete Colores - to German: mountain of the seven colors - namely the thousands of visitors annually scanned mountain village. Who the intensity of various minerals formed landscape in full color photograph wants to be up early.

The ascent is not permitted, but a path all around, the brick on the erosion of brittle rock as the dominating root, makes a rapid believe in a fairy-tale landscape to be: "A mountain like a rainbow, it completely out of the sand. Forms, sometimes as Klecker castles look like a giant child in a giant beach could have built, "says the 26-year-old Susanne.

Purmamarca is located on a section through the Andes, the Incas used to have in order to have the regions of their empire to connect. The indigenous character of this part of northern Argentina in the Andean village yet to be felt, not least as to the facial features of the inhabitants are not difficult to ascertain. Even today burials found on the mountain out to the cemetery oriented according to traditional rites.

From Purmamarca are from the north only about three hours to Bolivia. The path through the sometimes moon-like landscapes Puna Plateau worth: The Maps and Iruya Tilcara and Humahuaca regional capital inviting.

About the passport in the desert

Power one of Purmamarca to Lamaherden past, while to the west, so charmed, not least the white of the salt lakes before the Jama Pass at 4200 meters above sea level in the Atacama Desert in Chile hineinführt, one of the driest areas of the earth applies.

A good place for adventure travelers, the tent aufzuschlagen, is San Pedro de Atacama, although there the temperature differences between day and night are greater than those between summer and winter. From there, it is then not far to Antofagasta on the Pacific. In order to acclimatize to the thin air of the Puna Plateau help, as some locals assure the chewing of coca leaf, from Bolivia, and vegetable markets to be sold legally. In most other provinces of Argentina, they are prohibited.

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A visit to the neighboring province of Salta almost inevitable that the means from the language of the Quechua Indians came Salta name yet so much as "the Beautiful". A good starting point is the eponymous capital, with its 500,000 inhabitants. Worth seeing is the old town with its churches and monasteries. From the mountain of San Bernardo, over 1070 levels with a little stamina, and easily accessible by foot or by cable car can be climbed, it is the view of the city and the adjacent subtropical woods.

Also culinarily Salta has much to offer, but the city said that nowhere else in the Argentina Empanadas stuffed dumplings called taste as good as here. Salta has a beautiful campground with private swimming lake. The fee for the camp is like everywhere else in the region economically, it is for a tent and a person per night around 1.50 euros.

Journey into the clouds

Tourist Saltas flagship is the "Tren a las Nubes," the "train in the clouds." He squirms out from the capital to pass through cactus canyons landscapes, at the edges of the glacier giants like Nevado de Acay (5716 meters) and the Nevado de Chani (5896 meters) enthrone. The goal of the 217 kilometers long journey is the viaduct La Polvorilla to 4220 meters above sea level.

On the way the train passed, the problems due to the concession from 2005 to 2008 could not proceed, 29 bridges, 21 tunnels and Behelfskonstruktionen like "zig-zag course", without some of the body would not cope. Very cheap is not fun: Depending on the season, from 120 to 140 U.S. dollars (95 to 110 euros) for the approximately 16-hour tour to berappen. Camping facilities are available in the landscape is not, and "wild camping" is strongly discouraged.

190 kilometers south of Salta is located as another destination for the famous white-Torrontés town Cafayate, home to two campsites overnight opportunities. From here it's only about 40 kilometers to the famous, already in the province of Tucuman situated ruins of the fortifications of the Quilmes Indians.

New shine for Thailand's dirty child.

So far, Pattaya, especially for the large number of famous and infamous sex tourists. But now investors want to transform the Thai city: From the Red Light Paradise is a premium destination will be.

 

The Fish Martini is blue Curaçao. The Knabberfischlis to taste the sea. The Cocktails of the "Baraquda Bar" of the ultra-modern "dusitD2 'maritime bear names, like the whole design of the newest hotels in Pattaya thematically oriented on the sea. The white bar on the terrace of the third floor like a spaceship hovers high above the dense traffic on the main artery Pattaya Second Road.

The Baraquda is empty. Perhaps because the bar is still too new, too unknown. Perhaps also because the whole of the urban designer hotels Schick simply not to shabby suits Pattaya. The bars compared with red light as the only design feature stands out, however, are well attended. With kess stacked beaten legs sit hostesses as prostitutes elegantly described in mini-skirts on wobbly bar stools. "Hello, come in", they call vorbeischlendernden passers, both men and women, and lard. The main thing is that the true beer sales.

By the end of December, the D2 opened elegant Dusit group, the young, urban clientele gutverdienende from Bangkok in just two hours drive away Pattaya lure. The time is ripe, is General Manager Dusit Randon Paolo: "We talk to those people who have not Pattaya visitors were. Rotlichtviertel are everywhere in Pattaya, perhaps more than elsewhere. But we must not go."

At the beginning there are two letters

Pattaya has no red light district. Pattaya is a red light district. "Sex is always the selling point will remain," says Sunan, who for many years in this city of sin as a real estate manager lives. At the start of Pattaya Sextouristendestination stood as two letters: R & R, Rest & Recreation, such as "Relaxation & Recreation". In the fishing village on the Gulf of Siam sent the U.S. during the Vietnam war, GIs on the front to leave the R & R. For Sex, beer and rock'n roll soldiers were able to break loose, war and death for a few days, forget it.

After the end of the Vietnam war in 1975 Thailand had learned his lesson: Western men with Asian beauties. Instead of the B 52 of the American Air Force began to have sex-bombers from Europe to land, full of mostly older, lascivious men from Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia. Eventually the Thai Pattaya was so embarrassing, but that it modestly the mantle of the PR-silence on the beach covered with Megapuff. Pattaya still remained popular and a major foreign exchange bearer.

But now begins in Thailand, his dirty attraction, the long a vibrant city with more than 100,000 people and reported six million visitors each year has become, and rediscover aufzumöbeln. Randon says: "Pattaya is changing more and more a place for family and a resort for couples." So much so that the bars in Walking Street, the mother of all Pattaya's red light district, now with large signs "Couples Welcome" to recruit clients. Mature couples from Germany spectacular semi-Go-Go Girls. Young (heterosexual) Asian couples from Singapore or Seoul pulls it into the gay bars with live sex shows. Russian tour groups are from a flag officer with Sodom and Gomorrah Show.

Cocktails instead of beer bottles

The Thai city of Pattaya's Tourist Office and fathers put on the new clientele. If only people rich enough to attract the cocktails instead of beer bottles slurp, Prada instead of cheap T-shirts bear the French Edelrestaurant place on the noodle stand on the street dine, then change the image automatically, so the optimistic calculations.

So were built luxury hostels, golf courses created, trendy restaurants opened, while the other is still no decent sewerage system, as the bad odor in some places of the Beach Road clearly shows. In doing the sidewalks are huge, dangerous holes on the taxi drivers are crooks; on minimalist narrow beach next to the dense traffic on Beach Road Wabern the sun-starved tourists noise and exhaust fumes to the nose and ears.

Divers drawn to Pattaya because of the great diving spots out there in the depths of the Gulf of Siam; golfers putt on one of the 20 golf courses, who come for the island, may of Pattaya from day trips to beaches of Koh Larne, Koh Samet and Koh Chang enterprise ; visitors from the Middle East as a medical tourist, which is in international Pattaya hospitals at bargain prices verarzten leave.

It opened in January Mega Central Festival department store, according to self-promotion of Asia's first and only shopping mall right on the beach, including an (unfinished) Hilton Hotel with 300 rooms underlines the claim Pattaya, its raunchy image to Wellness, Lifestyle and Urbanity supplement. Khun Kobchai Chirathivat, president and CEO of the operator group CPN Pattaya sees the future with confidence: "The city has the potential of Thailand's premium tourist spot to be."

A paradise for the Elderly

One of his dream home just in from Pattaya and rebuilds the Osnabrücker Wolfgang Jung. Under the stage name Steve Young is one of the 62-year-old with his band for nearly 30 years, the primary rocks of the entertainment on the island. But for the rest wants to be Young in Pattaya, not to "Malle".

Young stands on the balcony of his inside and out all in white held villa looks over the pool up to that of a golden Buddha statue crowned hills, the sister of Pattaya City Jomtien separates, and says: "This is paradise for me. We live very nice quiet. But I need me just to set up a scooter and I'm five minutes from the city or on the beach. " Paradise is still cheap. "My house would have me here in Mallorca cost ten times as much, at least," says Young and Pattaya cheerfully called "a retirement home", the one in Germany could not afford.

To have thousands of Europeans in the eternal summer Pattaya established, wealthy entrepreneurs as well as retired people with small money compared to Europe in Pattaya are wealthy. Like Young, who is in his white house along with his Austrian partner makes at home, many, including his wife relocated to Pattaya. Others live with their Thai partners and make the experience that they are also responsible for the welfare of the extensive, low-relatedness of exotic wife have to pay financially.

Then there are those huge army of single seniors from Gerolstein and Gothenburg, Birmingham and Berlin, Salzburg and St. Gallen, in Pattaya to enjoy their retirement-supplied with Viagra, for the many pharmacies in Pattaya with meter-high neon advertising signs advertise . Also, almost 40 years after the end of the Vietnam War based Pattaya attraction still on two points: R & R.

As Vladimir 59 ° North, 35 ° East by storm.

Adventure Sport absurd: whether desert, snow, hell or high mountains - Travel Crazy expire on a scavenger hunt kind of bizarre to all intersections of longitude and latitude visit. blogs ONLINE settled in Russia from satellites show the way.

 

There are a few sounds, a cross-country skiing certainly do not want to hear if he was still 15 kilometers through a snowy Russian wilderness before him. When the next village called Bortnikovo inhabitants and its 17 miles away.

These noises heard the roar, for example, a brown bear - still have hunters in the fall not far from here two of the animals killed - or a wolf hissing.

But in wild animals is Vladimir Chernorutsky prepared. He has a small guns, multiple rocket fireworks marks the "Sailing Wind" and "lucky star" and a dozen "Black Death" China-Kracher in the pocket. Thus, he wants in an emergency the beasts chase.

The most unpleasant noise to which Vladimir is not prepared, it sounds like a bursting Ast. To hear it is at the point 59 ° 01'01 .8 "North - 35 ° 03'57 .9" East on a cloudy Saturday morning. It is a rotten crack skis, in the middle just behind the heel breaks.

"Dmitry brings to you", is the first thing on the Malheur Wladimir has to say. Dmitry is the owner of the small white wooden skis and was so nice to them for two days to lend. But a mordlüsterner Moscow is not the problem, because Moscow is about 500 kilometers away. The immediate problem is a huge swamp, which is only passable in winter, when frozen and he is covered by snow.

A coordinate as the target

Beyond this, about four miles away, lies the objective of this tour. There is no peak or vantage point, but a Coordinate: 59 degrees north, 35 degrees east. Vladimir wants to be the first man, this intersection of a geographical longitude and latitude reached.

Google Earth, blogs ONLINE
Miles through the snow: After the village Bortnikovo the route to Point 59 North - 35 East only through pristine wilderness

"Confluence hunting" ( "confluence" means something like "Along the River") is called the adventure, with the GPS device loszuziehen to those coordinates to find items. The idea came from the American Alex Jarrett. With car and GPS device, he traveled in February 1996 by the United States, made a few photos of fractional coordinates and intersections
published on an Internet site. Gradually followed by other technology-loving travelers his example. Thus the network an "organized sampling of the World", as Jarrett's global collection of photos and reports of geography nerds hobby and once called the Amundsen.

"It's about a country not a guide to know, but by the change of the landscape at regular intervals - from intersection to intersection," says Vladimir. The 48-year-old mathematician is a financial consultant for several Internet companies and worked alongside for
confluence.org as coordinator for Russia. So far, he has 80 Confluence points (CPs) attended. At 48 of them was the father of two children, first. "Previously I was on vacation along and made me otherwise viewed the sights. But now, the CPs are often the reason for the trip."

Whether it is on target to see something interesting, is not so important when satellitengeleiteten intersection scavenger hunt. In a world in which there are fewer and fewer places unbesuchte unexplored and there are those GPS expeditions a possibility, even the discoverers to be. Long were people on the moon, the Everest and the North Pole, but there are still around the 10,000 unexplored Confluence points on the mainland. Points on the water are only in the immediate coastal area.

"On the evidence photo must always be a landmark visible on land," says Vladimir the rules. It decides on all Russian attempts as to whether they evaluated and will be released.
All 48 points in Germany have long been visited in Europe are only a few initial visits to the coast near the water possible, for example in Portugal and Norway.

Eight hours, nine hours Skitour

Suddenly Vladimir holds and makes a picture of the dense spruce and pine are the surroundings. As a motive it is not particularly suitable, but it's not about a pretty landscape: That was exactly half of the 8.65 kilometers from the car to the finish, he says.

Somehow it goes with the broken ski. At almost every step the left foot sinks into the snow, sometimes almost to the hip. But surrender is not in question - after all even took the car in a blue Ford wagon Wladmirs from Moscow to the northwest good eight hours. After a night in a hotel "coziness" in the 10,000-souls-town Ustyuzhna, the hot water in an area already for the "luxury room" qualified, was still before dawn at the start point of the tour in the Vologda region.

RUSSIA-QUIZ

AP

Hemingway, hippies and the nobility.

In Lamu, the dreamy archipelago, Kenya's coast, the clocks tick a touch slower. Arab sailors and British colonialists have on the African islands left their mark. A mixture, which fascinated many prominent visitors.

 

"Lamu" wrote Ernest Hemingway, "must not be wasted. To do the island with calm and patience to." The American writer was not the first to the Lamu enchanted. The archipelago, located north of Kenya can merge worlds - Africa and Arabia to India - and a trip easily leads to recurrence. First came probably already in the 9th Century Arab navigators on the islands, their descendants, the Swahili, Lamu with their languages and art. Later followed by Portuguese, Turks, Oman and the British.

According to Hemingway, the hippies in Lamu town and the nearby fishing village of Shela, with its turquoise ocean and miles of untouched sandy beach did wonderfully live. The mangoes grow even today in the mouth, the lobster will be with your hand and catch a full moon on the beach barbecue. The restless Princess Soraya was born in the seventies as one of the first passengers of the nobility, many others followed her advice and the Hemingways since the early nineties.

Already at the arrival on the island of Manda is a what the locals' Küstitis "include: leisure, vulgo also called laziness. Pole pole, only the peace, these words already learned at the airport, only three of the corrugated iron huts there. With dust-covered suitcase are Eselkarren a Dhau loaded. Even Vasco da Gama was looking at this type of boat off the coast of Kenya for a sea route to India.

"A man without a donkey is an ass"

Mohammed, the master, is on course Lamu town, the capital of the archipelago, which the Unesco's World has been collected. Between palms and mangrove stand on flat roofs. The Mole is busy: The men stroll in Khanzu, the Arab gown, or shirt and Kikoi, the Kenyan cloth around the hips is slung. Women move into their Buibuis the meantime, the long, black robes, and keep the youngest and most beautiful among them always in their midst.

Find cars with a few exceptions in the narrow medieval streets of the city space, and so true Swahili is an old wisdom: "A man without a donkey is an ass." The animals are everywhere: 3000 donkey to their hard work on the island work, as they can find happiness with her grace in a bread-ass sanatorium at the Corniche, the coastal road. Until then, however, cats chasing them from the walls of coral stone high jump over the open sewers and break through door of a Swahili house, where they met with Hello and food waste will be welcomed.

Rich ornamental carvings on the high doors are the only reference to the wealth of the owners of the houses. And ancient carvings are also the pride of the museum at the pier, whose magnificent collection of the times Lamus remembers, ivory and slave trade made the city rich. Even Germany had in the 19th Century outpost on Lamu. Europe's appetite for luxury with leopard skins, tortoise shell, ostrich feathers, honey, beeswax, rhinoceros horns and ebony-fed. The Imperial German Postal Agency at the Kenyatta Road, near the abandoned fort, is now a museum.

"Peaceful and safe is it here"

On the Corniche honks then one of the few cars Lamus: Iko WAPI Love, where is the love that is written on the tricycle. In Kenya, each minibus a name. Only last year Barack Obama has the rank of Princess Diana as the most popular Godfather expired. The car belongs to the King Fahd Hospital, the Saudi Arabian vain equip.

Lamu is Muslim: "I must be the opposite side concede - peacefully and safely, it is here," says a missionary, on the islands of the holiday. He works in Eldoret, which has only one year, a center of violence in northern Kenya was. "How could all this happen," says Mohammed just before the Dhau course on the village of Shela holds. "If the tourists do not come, to whom shall we sell our fish?"

Shela Previously lived only by the fishing and the sale of coconut, ginger, chilli, lime and coriander on the market in the capital - just to what the delicious Swahili cuisine mind. Pole Pole, however. On Lamu is only available to order before. Between ordering and eating flies slightly more than an hour. "Where is the crab in Ingwersoße?" "I'm working on it, madam."

But the traveler will continue on the time-forgotten island: Like Caroline and Ernst August of Hanover, which the Swahili "Beach House" on the beach at Shela rent. Ernst August, nine years ago Lamu in the headlines: The "whipping Prince," wrote the German newspaper, was again added.

The "Prince" but acted entirely Lamu from the soul: A German hotelier beschallte Shela from his disco from only 800 meters away from Manda Island. Sun missed the Prince of Hanover, the man at least two slaps in the face - the procedures are up to today. "Hopefully he comes back soon, the 'Prince,'" laughs the Beach Boys of Shela. "Because if we ourselves up, we go to jail."

The German followed by English princes William and Harry, the model Jerry Hall, the French couturier Emanuel Ungaro and Italian author Kuki Gallmann. Sometimes the travelers to stay for ever, attracted by the wonderful climate, the friendliness of the people and the Swahili-white houses, with their airy galleries and quaint courtyards. As these previously looked displays the Swahili House Museum in Lamu town, with a room for the birth and death. In a so-called echo-room were hidden behind high walls, open-seated Swahili women with unseen visitors entertained.

No fish? Hakuna Matata

"We were poor, so poor. You would not believe it," says Mr. Adil, whose business in the new residents of Shela buy everything. Only alcohol is hardly available to be on Lamu. This is disturbing but not Sofia Coppola nor the writer Jeffrey Eugenides. They go to the bar of the hotel Peponi ".

They also feel British private school, such as the legendary big game hunter Denys Finch Hatton, and her friends are in clear räkeln Sarongs. You drink the Kenyan Tusk beer or the "Ol 'Pal' cocktail of the house of Bourbon, vermouth and Campari. The sun bathes everything in a golden bath, and the "Küstitis" has another day to pass, just like that. Tomorrow has to be. Morning.

"Do we want to fish in the lagoon?" Suggests Mohammed before. The Dhau on the waves of the reef to sail requires skill and experience. The lines will be ejected. Mohammed begins as a fish only. Hakuna Matata. Do not worry. From the shadow of the bank, he pulls a bowl full of fish on the market until anden. His wife has baked chapatis and fresh chopped vegetables. "Lunch in an hour, ok?" It blows the coals in his Chico, the little coal on board the Dhau, just beginning. Pole pole.

The tide can be made from the finest sand islands appear. The sea is turquoise with puddles. The morning is almost gone. The soul is the devil on Lamu not fall prey. Because only the haste comes from him, but the rest comes from Allah. This too is a Swahili-wisdom.

Journey with breakfast.

As in "1001 nights": nights in the Indian Heritage Hotels can be fabulous. Palaces, country estates, but also new houses have the owners converted to tourist accommodation - this is the character of the major hotels as luxurious comfort.

 

Delhi - The coach has the winding descent from the Himalayas done. Links are still snow-capped mountains to see it go right down into the swing plane. And here in the green hills somewhere it should be the next "Heritage Hotel". So hot in India, the castles and country houses where tourists can stay. Whether in cities or villages, noble residences or farms - the idea of the cultural heritage as a hotel use is booming.

The British tourists are curious about where they spend the next night will be. "Every house, every room is different, you learn a very different India know," says Sue Chandler from London. Pointed arches and pillars, fountains in courtyards, murals, and shaded porches - "Heritage hotels" offer a journey back in time with breakfast. "Too bad, in order to arrive late in the evening and morning again travel further," says Chandler.

This is Pragpur in the state of Himachal Pradesh on the program. The bus travels through the narrow streets of the village, and passengers ask where they are probably here to stay. It is almost always on the last mile to a "Heritage Hotel" - to be a liberated "Aahhh" through the bus goes. This time it will be the "Judge's Court" is triggered, a red house with white pillars corner towers and corridors, in the colonial times to the judge lived.

Double room in brick house

His descendant Vijay Lal decided in 1997, the estate into a hotel to turn. "At the beginning it felt a bit odd to strangers at the tables to see where my ancestors had sat. But I was more of a pleasure to have guests here," says Lal. The feeling is obviously very well sit on the balcony and read, come to dinner at the festively decorated table in the garden and can be the story of Lal tell his family.

"We are eleven generations in this village," he says, "and to me it was important that we not isolate the hotel." Therefore, he went one for "Heritage Hotels" extraordinary way. He not only rents rooms in the main house, but also directed his family homes in the middle of her village, an old brick house with two floors than doubles, for example, a few minutes walk from Market Square and with normal left and right neighbors.

"The income from tourism should benefit the village in which the Heritage Hotel is," says Lal. "We get our driver and guide from the environment, we buy the vegetables in the market here, we send our guests to the souvenir shops on the ground." But "Heritage hotels" are not charity events, but first and foremost a business, the heirs of rich patrician houses to enable the family to keep possession.

"The house was much too big for me, and it had to be renovated," says RD Singh, of Jaipur in the "Nana ki Haveli 'operates. "For us Rajput hospitality has always been very important - because my wife had the idea of an occupation to make it."

Designation "Heritage Hotels" is not protected

Similarly, the Devendra Singh. He ventured with "Roop Niwas" Shekhawati in Rajasthan in the north east in 1992 to jump from the farm as a tourist hotel. He and his neighbors offer guests something special: Safari tab on the Marwari horses with ears sharp sickle. "When we started, it was very special, but today the streets are from Delhi and Jaipur as well that Shekhawati on the tourist world has arrived," says Singh.

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Tourists, who today, after Delhi and Jaipur, the Taj Mahal and the shores of the Ganges to travel, have a choice: you can in a standard hotel stay in India look like everywhere else in the world. Or they opt for "Heritage Hotels". However, this name is not protected and does not say anything about prices and convenience. Architectural gems with plenty of charm and tradition for 50 euros per night as well as to new buildings in the old style palaces, or expensive, but also houses, just old.

India-tourists, with the "Heritage hopping" flirt, do it so well, is precisely to find out where they spend the nights. Many rely on reports from friends and acquaintances, trust in Heritage established chains like the Neemrana hotels or to book packages.

But even then they should know exactly what to expect, says Michaela Studiosus of Ted's travels: "It is in these houses live history, even closer contact with the culture of the country get. But we also prepare our guests to suggest that such Hotels are not 'square, practical, well' are. "

Rather than authentic luxury

Not every room is the same, there are narrow staircases, balcony railings have some in the German building no chance. The bathrooms with shower and western toilet are perfectly clean, but from another time. It was not just a question as to luxurious accommodation, but authentic, says Ted. This also agrees with the Indian travel agent Anita Gurnani, which is always on the lookout for new "Heritage Hotels" is: "You have to be unique, not uniform, character is more important than comfort."

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Neemrana Hotels, India

Judges Court Hotel, India

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Just then also looked Giri Singh - until they are between Jaipur and Agra was found. She bought the 'Chandra Mahal Haveli, a large landowner in the house Mughal style, which stood empty and dilapidated, and was directed to her. Now include not only India-tourists to their guests: "We have air conditioning and heating in the rooms built, now also in summer and winter people from Delhi who just want to get out of town."