My friend and I arrived at Sapa, Vietnam, at an altitude of 1650 meters, where the temperature was only 6 degrees Celsius, but it felt quite comfortable. Our local guide, a mother of two children, took us through several small towns. She spoke fluent English but had never received any formal education. She learned everything from tourists since she started working as a guide at the age of thirteen. What truly surprised me was that she had always lived in Sapa and had never been to Hanoi.
On this work trip to Hong Kong, we had to stick to a tight budget, so we ended up sharing a small suite for five days with four of us. It was so cramped that even turning over in bed had to be done with extreme care. In this situation, we finally got a taste of a unique aspect of Hong Kong's lifestyle known as the "ant nest."
During the last few days in Chiang Mai, I stayed in a rural guesthouse situated near a lake. Apart from the small cabin, there were no other facilities for miles around. As far as the eye could see, there were layers of trees. This was the closest I had ever been to nature. I thought I would feel happy because of the birdsong and the natural beauty, but it didn't turn out that way.
After a tough Muay Thai class, I treated myself to a two-hour Thai massage to ease my sore muscles. If Thailand is known for its massages, then Chiang Mai is definitely the best place to experience them!
This July, I visited Pamplona, Spain. It was my first time participating in the Running of the Bulls, and my first time witnessing up close the life-and-death struggle between the bull and the matador in the bullring. Six bulls' lives were taken right before my eyes, and the artificially created jubilation made me feel even more alienated from my surroundings.
The first thing I did when I arrived in Madrid was to find out which shows were currently playing in the local theaters. The performance of "Swan Lake" at the Teatro de la Luz Philips Gran Vía caught my eye. Even though I wasn't particularly fond of this ballet, I was glad I decided to experience it in the theater. The highlight of the performance was Anna Scechaleva's brilliant portrayal of both the White and Black Swan.
In Siem Reap, we would ride bicycles or take tuk-tuks to visit the Angkor temples every day. Whenever we passed by Angkor Wat, we would see locals enjoying picnics in groups. Following their example, my friends and I went to the local market. We bought some grilled meat, roasted bananas, fruits, and snacks. Then, we headed to a large grassy area to experience the casual atmosphere.
After concluding my trip to Italy, I took a train back to Munich to meet up with friends. Unfortunately, this train encountered a malfunction even before leaving Italy, forcing it to come to a halt at the small station of Rovereto.
Before coming to Italy, I didn't realize how indulgent I could be. During my week-long stay, my daily meals looked roughly like this:
Breakfast - Dishes prepared by the bed and breakfast.
Lunch - Gelato.
Afternoon Tea - Gelato and Coffee.
Dinner - Gelato.
Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. What does this have to do with me, someone without any religious beliefs?