Retrospective Part 2

Feb 16, 2019 | After The Great Journey, Photos, Thoughts, Updates

In retrospective, last year seemed to be all about visiting every corner of Germany and some of Europe even.

How to better kick off a year than going skiing? Part business trip, part skiing adventure, we had a blast in the Dolomites!

Around Easter I brought some pictures back from the northwestern shore and even from the Netherlands. One remarkable trip that was!

A little later I had the chance to properly visit the German capital and learn a great deal about its history. Old and full of significant sights it stayed in my head.

For the first part of the year, it has been a ride and I remember it dearly.
Main ingredient of the best experiences are people. It adds flavour, when you recall ‘the old times’.

Soothing Denmark

Nov 15, 2017 | After The Great Journey, Photos, Trips

It is not hard to compose an entry for your blog. You only need some pictures and descriptive elements. I’ll go for a precending text on this one. Oh, and you might need some time to actually do it. That is what kept me from adding to the collection for quite a time.

Nevertheless, here is my retrospective of a fabulous week I spent in Denmark with some friends.

Most of the time we spent exploring the area and having trips to some stunning places around. In times of an elevated stress level there is nothing more soothing than a vacation like this.

 

Up North it goes!

Jul 25, 2017 | After The Great Journey, Photos, Trips

I often tell people that I come from the North of Germany. That is as true as it is relative. Because last weekend I went north.
My mission: Relaxation, experience, reuniting with friends.

One of the nights I spent inside a lovely caravan of the old make and the other one amongst my friends in Hamburg. Mission relaxation I could carry out well at the caravan’s and some experience I was presented with when having breakfast inside the ecological convenience store next to it.
Hamburg itself, for two half days, offered next to the fundamental relaxation a number of experiences. We looked at the Elbphilharmonie close up, we posed as spectators at a track and field competition, we walked much and we talked even more.

I would change nothing, maybe only the amount of time spent.

At the moment I am in Frankfurt. After the High Impact Presentation course from Dale Carnegie I have a little time left before my train arrives. Or before I arrive at the station. 🙂 This time I used to complete this article.

Content of two demanding days: Analyzing the own presentation skills and improve on it. On different kinds of presenting something we were filmed and coached alongside.
A great way to succeed! Now I know exactly where my strengths and weaknesses lie and after seeing myself, I can now begin to see others see me.

Long Weekend with Friends

Jun 11, 2017 | After The Great Journey, Photos, Trips

Even though this blog post has more pictures than words in it, the actual weekend has been full of experiences.

Do you remember Tina, with whom I had the ‘Adventure Couchsurfing’ and the ‘Authentic Kiwi Day’? 🙂
Exactly the same and her boyfriend I visited. So I went for a long weekend to Franconia.

The most amazing hosts in one picture!

One day we went into Swiss Franconia, from where I brought you some pictures of a dragonfly, mainly:

 

 

Bamberg. Just as the pictures show, a multi-layered city. She rewarded our visit with sun and a feast for the eyes and the belly.

 

 

One special attraction was so-called ‘Lesser Venice’.

 

 

As a highlight the visit of the ‘Teegießerei’  stood out. Tina went for a hot chocolate with chili and I wisely chose right, ordering some China Milky Oolong. A tea, fermented by using milk and being all deliiiicious! Including the second brew. 🙂

 

 

After Bamberg we strolled along the meadows around and the pavement inside Erlangen. And, oh well; it looked all very beautiful once more:

 

 

I am Groot.

Have you ever wanted to know what a Ferris wheel looks like through long exposure? Tadaaa:

 

 

A breeze of New Zealand came up, walking through the botanic gardens. Of course, those are to be told apart by their very plants…

 

 

 

 

As many pretty pictures arose, as many enjoyable moments there have been.
Friendship made them possible, in the first place.

Skiing School Trip II

Apr 8, 2017 | After The Great Journey, Photos, Trips

You read right: The second one!

But if you look around my blog for the first one, you might be left empty-handed.
As the same took place long before. This blog began at the end of my first apprenticeship back then.
And the week I am about to tell you all about has actually happened just like that already.

For we went on a school trip. After a better half of a year into the apprenticeship we went to South Tirol to partake in the late skiing season! Just as we did back in the day…

One difference there was though, for sure: My camera was with me and I made good use of it!

Rest stop ambiance.

 

 

After a long bus ride we finally arrived in Ahrntal and moved into the fine rooms. 5 days we then spent in mostly harsh sunlight on the slopes.
The weather was almost too nice, as snow likes to melt. You can picture it; it is not as nice underneath your skis. Nevertheless, it was a splendid blast of a time, to shed the dust from the skills with the slats.

One day I felt as good, back from the slopes, as to have myself a little walk. Come with me!

The loud chatter of these cuties might be the last thing you want to hear in your afternoon nap. 🙂

Only at the end of it I came to notice the name of this hiking track. How fitting! 😀
(Translation: Way of Reflexion)

What time is it??

Of course my camera had to go to the top of the mountain, how else would I capture all those impressions?

It pays off to look out towards the valley inside the gondola.

Even musical accompaniment was provided!

This day, we stayed in the mountains to the late hour, because of the hike at dusk.

Already before that I had noticed the appropriately brute snow grooming machinery.
They are in charge of reshaping the ridden slopes to be all smooth and hard in the next morning.
And they day’s work I wanted to capture by all means:

 

 

This is what it looks like, then… 🙂

Until the shadows had reached the terrace, we stayed outside. After dinner, we went on our way into the valley. Where in colder months you can go down hill on a sled, we hiked down on foot in the end…

 

 

And here the spectacular picture of proof:

YEEEEEAAAAAH!!

So, this trip was a striking success! From a photogenic point of view, and also from the classmateship perspective. For you get closer, when spending more time together than those few hours in school only. 🙂

So, this trip was a striking success! From a photogenic point of view, and also from the classmateship perspective. For you get closer, when spending more time together than those few hours in school only. 🙂

You could really think about starting an apprenticeship solely for skiing trips like this. 😀 As it is worth it!