exploration makes a better world

Among the Nordic languages, I like Icelandic most so far. While Danish and Swedes sound jumpy when they speak, like they’d speak to little children, with stumbling sounds like „ütt’ – ött’ – ätt’ -itt”, Icelandic is more free-flowing, from the tip of the lips, with the oddest sounds combined in a pleasantly natural way. [...]

22 July
They say that in Iceland whale watching and whale hunting vessels anchor next to each other in the ports. We tried to identify them, couldn’t though.
Whale hunting is a hot topic in Iceland, highly political and emotional. Together with Norway (don’t know the status of Japan), I think they are the only countries in [...]

July 21
The trip to Greenland was ultratouristic. Even so, it was highly memorabile.
A one-day trip, departure at 10am from the local Reykjavik airport with Icelandair, arrival after 2 hours in Kulusuk, Greenland (still 10 am given the time difference), time spent there till 1:30, and back.
After waiting in the wrong bus station for the right [...]

July 20
I decided to do a few “standard” trips. Touristy to the bone, but found it the optimal way to cover as much as possible in the little time available. Mass tourism, much like Spain and Turkey, with pickup at the hotel, transit to a bus, with a big group, travel to the “objectives”, a [...]

july 19
2 a.m. Guesthouse Pavi, Reykjavik. A sign on the door - for checkin call danny at this number, at any time. I try to call - phone not working.
WHAT?
I try again. Phone still not working.
Oh, no.
Out of a Divine inspiration (thank you), I try the door. It’s open - thank God, at least I [...]

It was 23:00h and dark at take-off in Copenhagen. When the plane was rising, I saw a faint sunset at the horizon. Wondered how it will be in Iceland - it was 2 hours behind. Hmmm… Then I fell asleep.
…
It is almost 2:00am, Copenhagen time, midnight Iceland time. I was woken up by something reddish [...]

The first time I had heard about Malmö was, of course, in footballian context, about their team, Malmö FF.
The city lies just across the water from Copenhagen. There’s a huge bridge connecting the two cities over the sea. Unfortunately, I slept through the journey, so I didn’t see it properly. Landed, half awake, in the [...]

Initially I wanted to go to Æroskøbing today, but I found out it takes 4 hours, one way, so I changed my mind to a trip to the North part of the Sjaelland island.
First, Roskilde.

In the former Danish capital I wanted to see Domkirke and the Viking museum.
Domkirke is the church where almost all Danish [...]

Lonely Planet - Scandinavian Europe is one of the best investments made so far. It has almost everything I am anticipating of needing.
An even better investment (as it was free) was the map taken from the hostel (Danhostel city center, for the record). It contains a 3 hours walking tour, nicely marked with main attractions. [...]

The most famous palace in Berlin

does not lie in Berlin. But in Potsdam, but nobody worries, no matter how persistently it rains - maybe because Potsdam is the former capital of the Prussian empire, or maybe because the palace is called Sans Souci, i.e. “no worry”.
Built by Friederich 2nd, a.k.a. The Great, a.k.a. Old Fritz, [...]