In QGIS, a NetCDF file is opened as a raster with one band per timestamp. Unfortunately, the time is not set in the Temporal Settings, but it is shown in the name of the band and can be converted with an expression
Visualization of seasonal or cyclic time series data as a circular, polar heatmap
With the QGIS plugin Adjust Style it is easy to replace a font family anywhere in a map
In How to use PostGIS in a docker container I explained how to start two docker containers, with PostGIS and with PgAdmin4, with docker run and how to use them. There is another way: we can set up a configuration file compose.yaml and build and start both containers with docker compose. This way It is … Continue reading “PostGIS with Docker Compose”
A simple hack to change the color in the center of a sunburst chart
RasterWizard: get the data of a QGIS raster layer as a NumPy array, and the processing result back into QGIS as a new raster layer
9 day circuit hike around Matterhorn, Weisshorn and Dent Blanche
Creating the squared alternative to pie charts with Plotly in Python
In QGIS, filters normally ignore No Data cells automatically. However, this is not always easy, especially if a filter examines neighboring cells and these contain No Data. What happens depends on the implementation, but is problematic in both cases. In raster layers, “No Data” is coded with a specific number, e.g. -9999. If, for example, … Continue reading “QGIS: No Data in raster layers”
New QGIS plugin for raster layers with convolution, morphological filters, principal component analysis, statistics, etc.
PostGIS is the spatial extension for the PostgreSQL database. You can use the database not only to store and query your geometries and attributes, but you can also perform typical GIS tasks directly in the database. It needs some effort to get it up and running for the first time, but then it will speed … Continue reading “How to use PostGIS in a docker container”
Journey through a diverse country
Hike from Balea Lake on the Transfăgărăşan Road to the highest mountain in Romania
Short hikes to caves and ponors (Romania)
Interactive graph with producing countries and usage of lithium
Adjust the style of your QGIS map with a few clicks instead of altering every single symbol for many categories or a number of label rules.
Add the region, country etc. to your map features using Geopandas.
How to combine a bunch of shapefiles (or QGIS vector layers) into a single one without dublicates using python with geopandas
This book about orogenesis provides both, a gentle introduction to geology and a detailed explanation of individual mountain ranges and travel destinations.
In OpenStreetMap, all peaks look the same. How to classify them in QGIS as major and minor peaks?
Anyone who regularly opens a GPS track in QGIS or works on a local map often wants to have the map displayed in the UTM system. To do this, you first had to find out the correct UTM zone and search for it in the corresponding dialogue box. The first plugin I wrote for QGIS … Continue reading “Assign the correct UTM zone to a project in QGIS with one click”
Trekking from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean across the Pyrenees on the Haute randonnée pyrénéenne (HPR)
Between L’Hospitalet-pres-I’Andorre and Banyuls-sur-Mer, the HRP leads over Pic Carlit and Canigou and then over numerous hills to the Mediterranean Sea
From Salardú to L’Hospitalet-pres-I’Andorre, the HRP runs through the farthest corner of Catalonia and through Andorra
Between Parzán and Salardú are the highest mountains of the Pyrenees and the highest passes of the HRP
On the HRP from Lescun to Parzán with Vignemale, Gavarnie and Pic du Midi d’Osseau.
Between Hendaye and Lescun, the HRP leads over green hills and finally through a whimsical karst landscape
How to import all runkeeper GPS tracks (GPX files) into a single GeoDataFrame, and analyse and map them using python
How to explore a single GPS track (GPX file) with python
How to assign elevation to a GPX file? With Python this is easy thanks to elevation, geopandas, rasterio and SRTM data.
How to assign categorical data to individual layers (FeatureGroup) on a map created with Folium.
The movements of plate tectonics become particularly clear on maps showing the age of the oceanic crust.
A correct coastline in the map thanks to grdlandmask so that Holland is not under water.
How to plot a simple map with a GPS track in Python and PyGMT using the Tour du Mont Blanc as an example.
Get the placemarks of all folders of a KML file into a GeoDataFrame using minidom (Python)
It is easy to open a complete folder of GPS Tracks (GPX files) in Geopandas, e.g. for plotting maps or to export them as shapefile.
What a weather. Anyone who has spent this July in the Alps can tell you a thing or two about it: It rains, rains, rains. Instead of hiking and climbing mountains every day, I end up spending most of my time waiting for better weather. And the weather forecast turns out to be completely useless: … Continue reading “Rainy summer in the Eastern Alps”
The scramble over the ridge of the Watzmann is probably the most beautiful mountain tour in Germany.
Pretty cool: One chapter in The World of Mineral Deposits “was among the Springer Nature 2020 Highlights — a selection of the most popular articles and book chapters published last year” (i.e. published by Springer Nature). Whatever that means… You can buy it on Springer Link or from your book shop. Florian Neukirchen, Gunnar Ries … Continue reading “Popular Book Chapter”
My walks through the Triglav National Park in the Julian Alps in Slovenia led to impressive views of rugged limestone mountains and small mountain lakes and along the beautiful mountain river Soča.
At the lakes in the Ethiopian Rift Valley: Lake Abiatta, Lake Shalla, Lake Langano and Lake Ziway
At the fascinating rock churches in the “African Jerusalem”.
Back from the Simien Mountains in the old capital Gondar, we found out that Lufthansa had suspended flights because of Corona, leaving a thick question mark regarding the return flight. We were rebooked on Ethiopian Airlines flights, but spent a total of 7 h in the Ethiopian office trying to be booked earlier (without success) … Continue reading “Gondar”
4 days trekking in the highest mountain massif of Ethiopia from Simien Lodge via Sankaber, Geech, Imet Gogo to Chenek and up to Bwahit
Boat tour on Ethiopia’s largest lake to the ancient churches on the Zeghe Peninsula
Museums and Churches in Addis Ababa
Lakes, zebras and woven huts East African Rift in Ethiopia
The quite successful book Die Welt der Rohstoffe, which I wrote together with Gunnar Ries, has now also been published in English. I am happy that it is now available to a larger, more international readership. Florian Neukirchen, Gunnar Ries The World of Mineral Deposits A Beginner’s Guide to Economic Geology
A short photo trip in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains to Bastei, Königsstein and Schrammsteine.
The long-distance hiking trail leads in 6 stages through the Wutach Gorge and through smaller gorges in the Southern Black Forest
Hike across the island on one of the most beautiful treks in Europe through the wild mountains of Corsica.
Walks along the channels and ponds once created for mining in the Harz Mountains
Hiking through a small but fine high mountain range from Poland to Slovakia: In 3 days past the lake Morskie Oko, over the via ferrata Orla Perć and to the peaks Rysy and Kôprovský štít.
Probably the (historically) most important outcrop of geology is located on the coast about 40 miles east of Edinburgh. In 1788, at a time when geology did not yet exist as an independent science and hardly anyone doubted the common teaching that the earth — according to the creation story in the Bible — was … Continue reading “Unconformity at Siccar Point”
The Scottish mountains of the Cairngorms reminded one Sámi so much of his homeland that in the 1940s he released reindeer from Lapland, which we actually encountered. Here are some of the highest mountains in Britain, mostly rounded knolls and relatively flat plateaus, with a harsh climate and sparse vegetation. On some mountains there are … Continue reading “Hike in the Cairngorms”
Hike to the Hidden Valley in the former Caldera (Scotland)
Boat trip to fascinating basalt columns, seals and puffins (Scotland, Inner Hebrides)
One month (November) in the south of Mexico
On the third highest mountain in Mexico with a magnificent view of Popocatépetl
Traverse of the crest of the fourth-highest mountain in Mexico with a view of two crater lakes
A picturesque old town full of silversmiths (Mexico)
First-class museums, the historic centre and excursions to pyramids and ruins
Colonial cities, the world’s largest pyramid and an active volcano in sight (Mexico)
Old town in Oaxaca de Juárez, ruins of Monte Alban, excursion to Mitla and Hierve el Agua (Mexico)
Hike to the green crater lake of the active volcano in Chiapas (Mexico)
Mayan ruins in Palenque, view on the Sumidero Canyon, colonial city of San Cristóbal de las Casas (Mexico)
Spectacular sinkholes for diving, snorkelling, swimming (Mexico)
White beaches with turquoise sea, grand Mayan ruins, colourful colonial towns and the fascinating cenotes (Mexico).
In the Tertiary period, many volcanoes were active throughout northern Czechia (and beyond), indirectly related to the mountain building of the Alps: Parts of Europe tried to avoid the thrust of the collision, which was accompanied by stretching roughly in an east-west direction. Throughout Central Europe, rift systems (including Rhone Graben, Upper Rhine Graben, and … Continue reading “Trosky, a volcano in the Bohemian Paradise”
A picture-book example of basalt columns near Kamenický Šenov (Czech Republic)
A day hike combines the impressive rock arch in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains with a boat trip through the Edmundsklamm gorge.
It is no coincidence that the limestone towers in Upper Franconia are reminiscent of famous landscapes in Southeast Asia.
Like little boats, strangely shaped salt crystals sometimes float on salt lakes or in saltworks: hopper halite or fleur de sel.
At perhaps the most spectacular waterfalls on earth (Argentina/Brazil)
A valley steeped in history with brightly coloured mountains, colonial towns and pre-colonial ruins in northwest Argentina
Colourful canyons, pretty colonial towns and cacti in the triangle between Salta, Cachi and Cafayate (Argentina)
Bizarre rocks and the oldest dinosaurs in the world (Argentina)
At the highest mountain in the Andes (Argentina) — and the highest outside Asia.
Hikes along the most beautiful bay of the beautiful island with Calanche di Piana, Cabo d’Orto, Capu Rossu, Monte Senino.
The narrow and rocky bays Calanque d’en Vau, Calanque de Port Pin and Calanque de Port-Miou
Ochre, lavender and picturesque villages
On the Sentier Martel through the “Grand Canyon of the Alps”, one of the deepest and most beautiful gorges in Europe (France)
The small island of Malapasqua, located just north of Cebu (Philippines), is particularly famous among divers. Because at a nearby sunken island, Monad Shoal, thresher sharks can be observed with a very high probability, which normally tend to stay in deeper water.
A beautiful, very regular example of classic cone karst in the Philippines
The perfectly shaped volcano from different angles (Luzon, Philippines)
A pretty old town with a fusion of Spanish colonial style and the influence of Chinese traders in northern Luzon (Philippines).
The notorious volcano is a restricted military area
Despite hanging coffins and the Cave Connection, the supposed backpacker’s paradise in the mountains of northern Luzon (Philippines) disappoints.
Spectacular cultural landscape in the mountains of Northern Luzon, Philippines
An explosive volcano near Manila and an island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island in the sea.
Four days trekking in Svaneti (Greater Caucasus, Georgia)
Villages, towers, shrines in a remote mountain region in the High Caucasus (Georgia)
“Symphony of Stones”: Spectacular but relatively unknown basalt columns in Azad Canyon
Volcano with obsidian lava and lakes in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey
Spectacular hypersaline crater lake (maar) with a cinder cone in the centre (Central Anatolia, Turkey)
Shallow water as far as the eye can see and a reddish colour due to halobacteria — the Great Salt Lake in Central Anatolia (Turkey)
Sandstone rocks in Bulgaria
The “Stone Forest” in Bulgaria
Kitschy “nation building” in the capital of North Macedonia
Ancient churches and a large lake in North Macedonia
White houses, mini-bunkers and a karst spring
The largest lake in the Balkans (Montenegro, Albania)
Hike in the Mountains of Montenegro
Once a romantic fishing village in Montenegro
The “Fjord” of the Balkans in Montenegro: Hikes and Old Towns
Old city with thick walls between mountains and Adriatic Sea (Croatia)
Mountains in Montenegro
Deeply incised meanders of the Uvac in a rarely visited reserve in Serbia
Travelling Bosnia and Herzegovina
Large sinkholes near Imotski in Croatia
Waterfalls and Antiquity in Croatia
Karstified mountains in Croatia
Karst landscape with lakes and waterfalls in Croatia
Bizarre karst formation in Croatia
Ancient towns, Venetian churches and Roman ruins on the Adriatic coast of the peninsula (Slovenia, Croatia)
Caves, sinkholes, poljes — the term karst derives from the uplands of the same name in Slovenia
Many of the deep lakes in the Alps are known to fill valleys that were once carved out by the glaciers of the ice ages. However, this is not the case with the lakes in the Southern Alps. Where Lake Como, Lake Lugano, Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore are located today, there were already deep … Continue reading “Lake Como”
This castle is an icon of Scotland
Hikes to Cuilin Mountains and Old Man of Storr
Hiking in the mountains of Scotland
Seastacks and stone circles on the islands in the north of Scotland
Spring in Belgium: Like a blue carpet, the flowering bluebells currently cover the ground in the Hallerbos (Bois de Halle), a forest a little south of Brussels.
Nature on the Mediterranean coast of Andalusia (Spain)
The wonderful Alhambra and the old town (Andalusia, Spain)
Ronda is a pretty town in the mountains of Andalusia. It is situated on a mountain ridge, with a vertical gorge running right through the town. The town’s landmark, a massive bridge from the 18th century, spans this gorge. Otherwise, there are shining white houses, a few churches and, above all, always beautiful views of … Continue reading “Ronda”
Tips on trekking photography: equipment, batteries, exposure and bad weather
Trek over the passes Renjo La, Cho La and Kongma La to Everest Basecamp, and to vantage points such as Gokyo Ri, Ngozumba Tse, Kala Patthar and Chhukhung Ri.
The Langtang Valley, in the mountain range closest to Kathmandu, is the destination of this popular trek in Nepal. Vantage points such as Tsergo Ri, Kyanjin Ri and Morimoto Base Camp are worthwhile, with views of large glaciers and some six-thousand-metre peaks. A side trip leads to the Gosainkund mountain lakes.
5-day hike in Switzerland: Kandersteg via Oeschinensee, Blümlisalphütte, Sefinafurgga to Mürren (cable car); Kleine Scheidegg, Eigertrek, Grindelwald (cable car), First to Schynige Platte
Since I don’t have any recent photos to show, here is a picture of a rock sample that has been lying around in my room for a long time. It is one of my favourite samples because I can torture every geoscientist who visits me with the question of what he sees here. Two different … Continue reading “A sample of the Moho”
Old mine in the huge SEDEX deposit in the Harz Mountains
Two months on the southern tip of South America
The most famous mountain on the Carretera Austral in the remote south of Chile looks like a fairy-tale castle; on a hike there are mountain lakes and viewpoints to discover
Petrified trunks of Cretaceous palms and conifers in the Patagonian steppe (Argentina)
Lonely wilderness, Patagonia as you imagine it: The scarcely visited national park in Argentina offers impressive views and solitude and the third highest mountain in Patagonia towers above the steppe as a wall of ice and rock
Early history in a beautiful gorge (Patagonia, Argentina)
Hikes at the “End of the World”: Views, bays and bogs in Tierra del Fuego National Park (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina)
Penguins, wrecks and craters — Excursions to Isla Magdalena and along the Strait of Magellan to Pali Aike (Patagonia, Chile)
The Cirquit, a complete circumnavigation of Torres del Paine including the “W”, is the most famous trek in Patagonia (Chile)
A walk on perhaps the most fascinating glacier in the world in Los Glaciales National Park (Patagonia, Argentina)
Hunting for the best light at the most beautiful vantage points at the foot of the famous granite mountains in Patagonia (Argentina)
Hikes in the hinterland of the “Argentinian Saint Moritz” (Nahuel Huapi Traverse and Cirquito Chico)
Hikes through rustic forests, up to the snow-covered Sierra Nevada past araucaria, views of lakes and the Llaima volcano, and finally an ascent of Llaima itself.
A view into the crater of Villarrica and a hike to lakes and araucaria (lake district in Patagonia, Chile)
Tracing the latest volcanic eruption in Chile
The lake district with its green fields, dense rainforests, countless lakes of all sizes and towering volcanoes and mountain peaks (cf. The Formation of Mountains) is, so to speak, the southern end of civilisation in South America: a little further on, the sparsely populated wilderness of Patagonia begins. I fly to Puerto Montt and drive … Continue reading “Puerto Varas in the Lake District of Chile”
The Brenta, the continuation of the Dolomites beyond the Adige Valley, is famous for the via ferrata that leads across it: the Sentiero Bocchette. However the summits are consistently bypassed, but it is a beautifully exposed path, from hut to hut over rocky ledges and up and down ladders. It consists of several sections, each … Continue reading “Brenta: Via Ferrata Sentiero Bocchette”
Footprints of reptiles in the Southern Alps (Trentino, Italy)
Two-week long-distance trek across the Dolomites
Chalk cliffs in Jasmund National Park
The GR 131 hiking trail on La Palma combines the Ruta de los Volcanes with the Ruta de la Cresteria for a four-day hike, an island crossing that is scenically and geologically spectacular (Canary Islands, Spain)
The most beautiful way to climb Teide is to traverse Montaña Blanca, Teide and Pico Viejo with an overnight stay at the Refugio de Altavista
It was about time that I paid a visit to the Canary Islands. After all, Teide is the highest hotspot volcano after Hawaii’s and much quicker to reach… However, there are also a few important differences to Hawaii, for example, a stratovolcano like Teide is not exactly typical of a hotspot, nor are the large … Continue reading “Tenerife”
Valle Gran Rey, Garajonay and Roque de Ojila (Canary Islands, Spain)
Journey to the highest waterfall in the world at the Tepuis of the Gran Sabana, Venezuela
Hike into the “Lost World” of the Roraima Tepui: a table mountain on the Gran Sabana in Venezuela, with bizarre rock formations, endemic species and a lot of rainfall
Journey on the Amazon: By boat from Tabatinga (Brazil, border with Colombia) to Manaus
The supposedly tallest palm trees in the world and many hummingbirds can be seen in the Valle de Cocora in the Zona Cafetera in Colombia
Pre-Columbian steles in San Augustin (Colombia): grimaces with pointed teeth and magnificent headdresses
In the capital of Colombia and excursion to Laguna Guatavita
Hike to the most beautiful folds of the Alps, which not only gives insights into the geology of the mountains (folds, overthrusts, nappes), but also beautiful views of the mountains.
Trekking around the Mont Blanc massif: the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is justifiably one of the best-known treks in the Alps.
Short geological excursion in Switzerland
10 weeks of hiking and mountaineering in the Andes
…I was in Antofagasta for one reason only: to fly home again. Read on Travelogue Andes 2010 San Pedro de Atacama Sajama and Lauca From Uyuni to San Pedro and ascent of Licancabur
Around San Pedro de Atacama (Chile): Viewpoints in the Atacama Desert, excursions to lagoons in the Andes and to the Tatio geyser.
Jeep tour (with an annoying group) through spectacular scenery: from Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia) via Laguna Colorada and Laguna Verde to San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) with ascent of the Licancabur volcano.
Now a bit of jungle, I thought, in the Amboro National Park situated in the Sub-Andes, a fold-and-thrust belt pushed ahead by the Central Andes. So I took a night bus from La Paz towards Santa Cruz, but it didn’t stop in Bellavista, although I had told pretty much everyone on the bus company that … Continue reading “Amboro National Park”
Mountaineering in Bolivia: Climbing Illimani (6438 m) in the Cordillera Real
Three high volcanoes and a few lakes in the national parks on the border between Bolivia and Chile
Big city with thin air and a grandiose location in a mountain basin
On the Death Road in Bolivia: With a mountain bike on the supposedly most dangerous road in the world into the Yungas
Climbing Huayna Potosi (6088 m) in the Cordillera Real in Bolivia: a relatively easy 6000 m peak with the best view
A beautiful city in southern Peru and an island in Lake Titicaca in Bolivia
Climbing Nevado Pisco (5752 m), a spectacular panoramic mountain in the Cordillera Blanca in northern Peru
Trekking in the Cordillera Blanca in Peru: In 10 days around Alpamayo and its beautiful neighbours
Coloured mountain lakes, glistening glaciers, in 10 days around the spectacular Cordillera Huayhuash in northern Peru
From Ecuador to Northern Peru: Stop in Trujillo on the long way to Huaraz
Hot springs, waterfalls and an active volcano (Ecuador)
Three days hiking on the north side of Chimborazo (Ecuador)
Cotopaxi National Park in Ecuador: climb Cotopaxi and hike on Rumiñahui
Picturesque caldera with “crater lake” in Ecuador
Travelogue Ecuador: Market in Otavalo and the Laguna Cuicocha, Culture in Quito and the Caldera of the Laguna Quilotoa
The most beautiful fjords in Norway: Viewpoints like Preikestolen on the Lysfjord, views of the Geirangerfjord, hikes high above Eidfjord and Nærøyfjord.
Hike to Storronden in Rondane National Park and a trek over the Besseggen Ridge and across Jotunheimen National Park to the Fannaråken hut (Norway).
In Røros, the idyll lurks around every corner. All the cute colourful wooden houses, the hills of the slag heap behind the copper smelter…. You really forget what hard working conditions prevailed here. The museum is worth seeing, it’s unbelievable how much wood was used in the mining industry. It’s just a shame that not … Continue reading “Røros”
Trek across the inaccessible Sarek National Park in the heart of Lapland, Sweden
Trip to Lofoten, islands in Norway with rugged mountains, fjords and fishing villages — hikes to viewpoints and mountain peaks
Multi-day hike through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Why spent 7 months in the Middle East? Why the Caucasus? Iran, Syria and Israel, Armenia and Turkey. So many contrasts! In Georgia we were even surprised by the war. An itinerary full of conflicts and full of religiously charged countries. But also a region full of art treasures and spectacular nature. Ultimately, this is … Continue reading “Backpacking trip Middle East and Caucasus 2008”
In Aswan, I bob around on a felucca on the Nile or watch the boats glide past the green islands, round granite rocks and the desert in the background. Meanwhile, there are some boats that have some kind of logo on the sail. One boat, for example, seems to belong to an American fast food … Continue reading “Via Aswan and Luxor to Leipzig…”
In the White Desert near Farafra, one feels transferred into a painting by Dali. Everywhere you look, wondrously shaped knobs of white chalk lime. With imagination you can find faces, animals, flames, tables and more. You don’t even need imagination to see the mushrooms. Sometimes the ground looks like snowdrifts, which look especially crazy when … Continue reading “White Desert”
The Islamic old city of Cairo is a wondrous collection of domes, minarets, market alleys, fountain houses; most of them in dusty brownish-grey colour. In between, a dense throng of market criers, porters, shoppers and tourists. The most beautiful buildings were built by the Mamluks. These were originally soldier-slaves, Turks bought by the Middle Eastern … Continue reading “Cairo”
Where else do you see more donkey carts rumbling along the road than cars? The oasis of Siwa is still far remote from everything, even though there are now street lamps that look as if they had strayed here from Paris. A thicket of date palms, two large salt lakes and in the background the … Continue reading “Oasis of Siwa”
Deep blue water full of coral reefs, with reddish granite mountains towering behind. So beautiful that this is the third time I’ve come to this coast. In places, the granite rocks are criss-crossed by swarms of black dykes like a zebra pattern. Nuweiba is almost deserted, the camps and restaurants are empty and the few … Continue reading “Sinai”
The “crater” Ramon in the Negev Desert in Israel was not formed by a meteorite impact, but by erosion of a fold
At the ancient fortress overlooking the Dead Sea (Israel)
Young, pretty and happy. As light as a fresh summer breeze, Tel Aviv is the antithesis of Jerusalem‘s heavy weight in holiness, tradition and history. The conflict is far, far away, but the beach is just around the corner. Cafés and bars are filled, more and more art galleries are opening. Green boulevards provide shade … Continue reading “Tel Aviv and the North of Israel”
A question of tectonics? A graffiti in Jerusalem shows someone throwing a stone, with the Hebrew writing “all because of the Syro-African Rift”. In the West Bank, I visit Hebron, where the conflict is clearly felt. Surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire, there is a Jewish settlement in the middle of the bazaar. Heavily … Continue reading “Hebron and Bethlehem”
As an atheist among believers in the holy city (Israel)
On the most important Jewish holiday, the holy city stands still
Coming from Jordan, the entry into Israel was as lengthy as expected and yet not as troublesome as I had feared. Almost the most annoying thing was that I had not expected the bus from the Jordanian to the Israeli post to be more expensive than a bus to Aqaba and back, so I had … Continue reading “Crossing the Jordan”
Splashing in salt water, the gorge in the Wadi Mujib reserve and Byzantine mosaics (Jordan)
Another day trip takes me to the “Desert Castles” in the east, most of which are not castles at all, but probably holiday homes of the Umayyad dynasty (see also Damascus and Jerusalem). Perhaps they were also intended for trade, or for pilgrims on their way to Kufa or Medina, or they were farms, or…. … Continue reading “Desert Castles in Jordan”
The beautiful day in the ruins of Jerash ends in disaster: in the evening my camera stops to work, I can’t even switch it on. Unfortunately, all the shops are closed for three days because of the end of Ramadan. And then it’s Friday, no luck again. Day by day my mood gets worse… Finally … Continue reading “My camera has a loose screw”
Roman ruins in northern Jordan
I am damn glad that Ramadan is over now. In Jordan, it is indeed hard to find a restaurant during the day, even bread; I usually only had shredded flatbread from the day before in my backpack. Buses also run less frequently, hardly at all on Fridays, opening hours are shorter and unpredictable, in sha’Allah. … Continue reading “Ramadan for travellers in Jordan”
Crusader Castle in Jordan
An old village above a gorge, bizarre sandstone cliffs and gnarled juniper trees in southern Jordan
By jeep, camel and on foot through a desert of rocks and sand in the south of Jordan
Fascinating ruins from antiquity in an equally fascinating landscape in Jordan
My hostel in Beirut, Lebanon
Ruins in Baalbek, Tyre, Byblos and Aanjar, bars and war damage in Beirut and a queasy feeling
The “white city” with the Umayyad mosque and excursions to the Deir Mar Musa monastery and the Roman ruins in Bosra
Fortunately, I don’t have to go hungry during Ramadan while travelling in Syria. Although many restaurants are closed during the day, there are always some who don’t miss out on business. There is even beer in the Christian quarter. Still, it’s a pity that you can’t sit down in a tea house for an hour … Continue reading “Ramadan for travellers”
Ancient ruins in the Syrian desert
Crusader castle in Syria
Huge water wheels and Roman columns
A wonderful old city in the north of Syria
Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and Mosaic Museum
Trip along the coast with Sumela, Trabzon, Amasya, Sinop, Amasra and Safranbolu
The Pontic Mountains, which stretch along the coast in the north of Turkey, have their highest heights just before Georgia, before turning into the Lesser Caucasus (see also The Formation of Mountains). The Kaçkar Mountains are also called the Pontic Alps; dark, rocky crests, needles of granite, blue cirque lakes, boulder fields. I could imagine … Continue reading “Trekking Mount Kaçkar”
Ruins of the ancient Armenian city in Eastern Anatolia (Turkey)
Hiking in Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park and cave monasteries in Vardzia
On the drive from Kutaissi to Borjomi, it was clear to see that something was happening: endless military convoys and crowds of people waving at the roadside, cheering the soldiers. So this is what it looks like when a war starts. This morning Georgia invaded the breakaway province of South Ossetia, Russia is defending it. … Continue reading “Start of war”
It’s time to move on to a country where alcohol is not such a part of everyday culture as it is in Georgia. In my homestay in Kutaissi, I pour wine into myself from drinking horns, our arms intertwined and then smacks on the cheek. Friendship forever and all that, a toast to world peace…. … Continue reading “One more toast …”
Wild mountain villages in Georgia: Cycling from Mestia to the defence towers in Ushguli and a hike to the Coruldi Ridge with a view of Ushba
Stalin’s birthplace in Georgia
Monasteries in the North of Armenia
The self-proclaimed Republic of Nogorno Karabakh is not recognised by anyone, according to international law it is still part of Azerbaijan. De facto a part occupied by Armenia and for those living here it is 100% Armenian and always has been. There is nothing to discuss. That is a daring thesis, since an independent Armenia … Continue reading “Nagorno Karabakh”
Monasteries in the South of Armenia
In the capital of Armenia
At the toe of the Kazbek in the High Caucasus
In the capital of Georgia
Two ancient cities in western Azerbaijan
Instead of glowing lava, cool mud and natural gas emerge from mud volcanoes. This phenomenon can be observed in regions where clay quickly reaches great depths.
Baku is oil. A whole row of oil platforms can be seen on the horizon in the bay, even in the suburbs there are oil pumps on every corner and in every second front garden, and the wider surroundings of the city are a tangle of pipelines. In the many bars, money is immediately converted … Continue reading “Baku”
Hiking through the High Caucasus in Azerbaijan: rustic mountain villages and cloud-covered mountains
In the Northwest of Iran
Iran is not known for its beaches. Of course, men and women have to bathe separately and for this purpose pieces of beach and sea are separated with corrugated iron walls. The amount of rubbish lying around doesn’t make it any better. But for the Iranians, who will probably come here in a fortnight, the … Continue reading “Caspian Riviera”
Climbing Iran’s highest mountain, the volcano Damavand (5670 m), and what unexpected surprises it can hold.
In the capital of Iran
Bazaars, palaces, mosques and the mountain village of Abyaneh
An old city full of famous mosques (Iran)
Desert city with famous wind catchers in Iran
Winding bazaars in Shiraz and the ruins of the ancient Persians in Persepolis (Iran)
As you know, in the Mesopotamian plain, human civilisation rose from the mud that the rivers Euphrates and Tigris yielded for this purpose. Now the present time is not very suitable for visiting the ruins of Babylon or Ur, which are situated in Iraq. However, on the edge of this plain, not far from the … Continue reading “The Ziggurat of Choga Zanbil”
Antique ruins at a strange karst spring
Food in the Middle East is pretty meat-dominated, so if you are travelling with a vegetarian, it can be quite exhausting to get something to eat. For example, you walk for hours through the alleys of a Turkish bazaar, with delicious shish kebabs and köfte roasting left and right next to tomatoes on a charcoal … Continue reading “Kebab … Iran for vegetarians”
When we arrived at the border in a minibus (coming from Dogubayazid), there were several busloads of Iranians on the Turkish side, jostling, shoving, shouting and swearing around the two open counters, waving their passports…. It took hours until we finally got the exit stamp in our passports. I was a bit annoyed that today … Continue reading “Entering Iran”
Around the lake in Eastern Anatolia
A strange royal tomb from antiquity in Anatolia (Turkey)
Fairy-tale volcanic landscape full of old churches (Central Anatolia, Turkey)
Istanbul serves us as a gentle introduction to the Middle East, after all, this city still has one foot in Europe. A fantastic backdrop of domes, minarets and water, but also a vibrant nightlife, hardly any headscarves… Hagia Sofia (6th century) is also a good historical introduction, as it is the architectural model for many … Continue reading “Istanbul”
A trip to the Middle East? Of course, that requires a little preparation and luck. Some of these countries don’t want everyone to come as a tourist. If you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, for example, you don’t even have to think about Syria or Iran. The Syrian embassy kept us waiting for … Continue reading “Visas for the Middle East”
Isn’t it fascinating how stubbornly this small country and its inhabitants defy everything that befalls them? The collapse of the Soviet Union, economic blockade, the lack that comes with it…. Who knows what will happen when Fidel is gone; high time I thought, to drink a mojito to the revolution on this green island lapped … Continue reading “Cuba”
On the Ring Road through Iceland, with the trek from Landmannalaugar to Skogarfoss and other hikes
Photos of selected samples from the agpaitic intrusion in Greenland
Oldoinyo Lengai (expedition report 2003 with further explanations and references) is well known for its strange lavas: natrocarbonatite is only found here, and at the same time it is the only active carbonatite volcano in the world. But the silicate rocks that make up most of the volcano are also unique, such as combeite nephelinite … Continue reading “Rocks and minerals around Oldoinyo Lengai and Lake Natron”
¡Zapata vive! The occupation of the colourful colonial town of San Cristobal de la Casa in Chiapas (Mexico) on 1 January 1994 was the start of the EZLN rebellion. Today, Zapatista dolls and Subcomandante Marcos shirts can be bought on every corner here, because the guerrillas had finally conquered the hearts of the left in … Continue reading “Chiapas…Tikal…Gracias…”
How pleasant to be met by Marta at the airport! We spend the first night in Guatemala City, a chaotic metropolis with broken, crowded streets, street kids, …. In a minibus we drive down from the coffee town of Coban through beautiful tropical karst landscape. In a village with a colourful market, more and more … Continue reading “Guatemala”
A journey to ice and tugtupite
Expedition to an intrusion with alkaline rocks (syenites, carbonatites, pyroxenites, etc.) in the High Atlas
In 13 months through Asia: temples and forts, beaches and volcanoes, mountains and gorges… India Landing in Mumbai ⋅ Goa ⋅ Kerala ⋅ The Indian Restaurant ⋅ Temple, Temple, Tamil Nadu ⋅ Give me school-pen! ⋅ Hampi ⋅ Hyderabad ⋅ Ellora and Ajanta ⋅ Gujarat ⋅ Udaipur ⋅ Mount Abu ⋅ Jodhpur ⋅ Jaisalmer ⋅ … Continue reading “13 months as a backpacker through Asia”
The beautiful royal cities in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal
This national park lies in the lowlands, on the fringe of the Ganges plain. From a canoe I see marsh crocodiles and the long-billed gavials, as well as various birds. The jungle walk was less impressive, but at least we saw deer, a king cobra and (through binoculars) a sloth bear trolling in a clearing … Continue reading “Chitwan”
Views of the Himalayas from Nepal’s trekking capital
Trek (3 weeks) around the Annapurna Massif (Annapurna Cirquit) and up to Annapurna Base Camp (Nepal)
Ten years ago, the CPN (Maoist) surprised the world by declaring a “Peoples War” and launching thousands of attacks on police stations in a short period of time. Today, the guerrillas control large parts of the country, especially in the west. And even in the capital, government buildings are blown up from time to time. … Continue reading “Not a dinner party: civil war in Nepal”
Pagodas, temples, squares and alleys
From Lhasa to Kathmandu — in one week by jeep, via Gyantse, Shigatse and Everest Base Camp
A city with thin air, pilgrims at the Jokhang Temple and the Potala Palace
A trek in Tibet from Ganden Monastery to Samye Monastery: over two high passes in 4 days
Lake Nam Tso is exactly what you imagine Tibet to be
Teahouses and pandas in Chengdu, salt and dinosaurs in Zigong, temples and mountains on Emei Shan and the giant Buddha statue in Leshan (China)
Surreal landscape in Hunan (China)
Cruise through the gorges of the Yangtze (China)
For around 2000 years, Xian was the capital of China regardless of the ruling dynasties. Accordingly, the city and its surroundings are full of ancient temples, gates and tombs. One of the most interesting buildings is the Great Mosque, it looks like a Chinese temple, the minaret like a pagoda. But the main reason to … Continue reading “Xian”
Cave temples with Buddha statues and an old town (Shanxi, China)
The city is criss-crossed by wide avenues lined with skyscrapers, but in between there are still remnants of the hutons, the old neighbourhoods of low, grey brick houses, where old people drink tea in the shade or play board games in the narrow alleys; coal sellers cycle their wares to customers… The centre of the … Continue reading “Beijing”
More or less wild sections of the Great Wall with mountainous ups and downs between Huanghua and Mutianyu
Around Yangzhou, once again, cone karst at its finest – admittedly quite similar to the corresponding landscapes in northern Vietnam or southern Thailand. The best thing is to cruise through the landscape on a bicycle (if only it weren’t so brutally hot), because between the rocky limestone mountains everything is flat. I was less prepared … Continue reading “Guilin cone karst”
Macau and Guangzhou (Canton)
Ascent of Gunung Agun and various temples, lakes, volcanoes and rice fields
On an islet between Bali and Lombok (Indonesia)
This volcano is situated in the very east of Java. The crater is filled by a greenish sulphuric acid lake. A huge sulphur body has formed near the shore, brown hot sulphuric steam rises hissing. When the wind carries the cloud towards you, breathing is almost impossible, the acid bites your eyes and nose. Some … Continue reading “Kawah Ijen”
Volcanoes in the East of Java: Views into the Tengger Caldera with the steaming Bromo and ascent of the active Semeru with up-close ash eruptions
Why not go for a tandoori chicken from Java to Kuala Lumpur? The real reason, of course, is that my Indonesia visa has expired. So I spend one night in a minibus from Yogya to Jakarta (the train was unfortunately fully booked), fly to KL and back the next day. One night on the train … Continue reading “Visa Run”
On the volcano with active lava dome (Java, Indonesia)
Fascinating temple at the foot of Mount Merapi, not far from Yogyakarta (Indonesia)
You may have seen mud pools in a volcanic area, where the mud boils away like porridge in a pot. The “mud volcano” Bleduk Kuwu (3 h north of Solo, Java) is a bit different: the cool mud looks like a huge fresh cow patty, in the middle a gas bubble the size of an … Continue reading “Bleduk Kuwu mud volcano”
In the capital of Indonesia and at a volcano in the west of Java
By outrigger boat to the volcano in the Sunda Strait between Sumatra and Java (Indonesia)
Bad luck in a holiday town on Sumatra (Indonesia)
Lake in a caldera on Sumatra (Indonesia)
Without incident I cross the notorious (pirate) road from Melakka to Medan on Sumatra by ferry. I’m really looking forward to Indonesia’s many volcanoes, but first I watch semi-wild orangutans (they were released near Medan) in the jungle, climbing up to us through the trees and begging for bananas. For general reassurance: my route does … Continue reading “From Malaysia to Indonesia”
Island with British Colonial Town and Chinese Temples in Malaysia
Tea Plantations and Cloud Forest in Malaysia
Old town with Dutch colonial buildings in Malaysia
In the capital of Malaysia
Jungle in Malaysia
Diving and snorkelling on an island in Malaysia
I have just arrived in Kota Baru, in the north-east corner of Peninsular Malaysia. Tomorrow I’m taking a boat to the Perhentian Islands. Read on 13 months as a backpacker through Asia Ko Pha Ngan Ko Tao Krabi
The sky is cloudy and almost every day there are one or two heavy monsoon showers – it’s obviously time for me to go to Malaysia, because the rainy season is already over there. But when it clears, the limestone cliffs shine beautifully in the sun. A bar on the beach has new furniture made … Continue reading “Krabi”
The charming 15th century ruins of this town (and of Si Satchanalai, another one a little further north) are set in a large park that blends into the green of the surrounding hills. As you would expect, it’s all about Buddhist temples and monasteries, stupas of all shapes, sitting, standing, walking Buddhas…. The kingdom of … Continue reading “Sukhothai”
The much-vaunted flair of Chiang Mai is somewhat relative compared to Luang Prabang, but there are some pretty corners and a few nice temples. An image for the gods is the “Fuck off wankers” shirt by the punk band Exploited, worn by the boy sweeping the floor in front of the golden pagoda. To praise … Continue reading “Chiang Mai”
Earplugs, helmet, life jacket: with the speedboat I race from Luang Prabang up the Mekong for 6 hours (through, how could it be otherwise, wonderful scenery). 8 people fit in the boat – with so much space that the legs hurt. Somewhere in the Golden Triangle (no opium fields in sight) I cross the border, … Continue reading “From Laos to Thailand”
Hammock paradise by the river in the mountains of Laos
We went to the Plain of Jars, where hundreds of cubic metre-sized monolithic stone jars (made of sandstone) are lying around. Around 2000 years ago, they were probably used for burial. Read on 13 months as a backpacker through Asia Vang Vien Luang Prabang Muang Ngoi Neua
The old royal city of Laos
Caves, hammocks and cone karst in the backpacker mecca of Laos
Si Phan Don in southern Laos
Almost 21 hours on the bus catapult me from the cold north of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to the hot south of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Hardly bearable without sleeping pills. Actually, it should have been only 19 hours, and the fact that the three of us end up in a damn slow … Continue reading “From Vietnam to Laos”
Between Pagodas and Ho Chi Minh: In the Capital of Vietnam
From Hanoi over mountain roads to Sapa in the northwest of Vietnam
Cone karst island world in the north of Vietnam
Citadel and Royal Tombs in Central Vietnam
Old town in central Vietnam
In southern Vietnam
In the metropolis in the south of Vietnam
At the floating markets (Vietnam)
I travel by boat from Phnom Penh down the Mekong to Vietnam. At the border we have to go into a quarantine room and pay a few cents (very effective against SARS…), the luggage is x-rayed (even at this tiny crossing) and finally we continue to Chao Doc in the Mekong Delta. I immediately take … Continue reading “From Cambodia to Vietnam”
In the capital of Cambodia
… It’s tough, kid, but it’s life … Some time has passed since the album of the Dead Kennedys came out and not much noticeable remains of the Khmer Rouge era. The mine victims playing music in front of the temples in Angkor or begging on the beach in Sihanoukville recall of the many unmarked … Continue reading “Holiday in Cambodia”
Angkor: hundreds of temples from the 9th to 16th centuries are scattered across the plain here, Angkor Wat is only the best known and largest. Depending on the whim of the respective ruler, they are dedicated either to Buddha or Hindu gods, but in any case to the god-king at the same time. In most … Continue reading “Angkor Wat”
After I finally got my visa for Vietnam, I set off at dawn by bus towards the border. Four hours of driving on good roads. At the border, men, women, children pull fully loaded wooden carts into the neighbouring country and back, on the Thai side a large market offers all kinds of consumer goods … Continue reading “From Thailand to Cambodia”
Old town with beautiful temples near Bangkok (Thailand)
So much for plans: as the Vietnamese consulate is on holiday for a week, I’m stuck for the time being, or rather I can’t leave for Cambodia until half a week later. So I’m going to take a trip through central Thailand first, because what am I going to do in Bangkok for so long? … Continue reading “Bangkok”
Diving off the island in southern Thailand
Dance and relax on the island in southern Thailand
In fact, my train from Varanasi arrived in Kolkata 10 hours late. So I didn’t see much of this city, which seems pretty dilapidated to me. At least I had my beard scraped off my face and got a “modern hairstyle”, so now I look more normal (boring?) again. The flight to Bangkok (after the … Continue reading “From India to Thailand”
In the holy city on the Ganges (India)
Thoughts on India and Tourism
This small village, completely removed from any city, is home to some of India’s most exciting temples – known mainly for the many erotic depictions dating back almost 1000 years. Better than the Kama Sutra. All the possible and impossible positions stand in stark contrast to modern Indian society, where (except perhaps in Bangalore, Mumbai, … Continue reading “Kama Sutra in Stone: The Temples of Khajuraho”
Temples, a river and pleasant tranquillity (India)
There is a striking disparity of poverty in India: the South is clearly richer, perhaps most clearly shown in the fact that almost everyone here has a mobile phone. There are slums, but in the north even “normal” parts of the city look almost like slums and poverty is obvious. Everything is much dirtier, more … Continue reading “Disparity of poverty in India”
A stark city, packed with people, an unbelievable chaos. The best thing is to sit on a cycle rickshaw and watch people go by. It’s hard to move forward, sacks of chili or whatever are being unloaded from other cycle rickshaws or bullock carts everywhere, men with all kinds of beards and headdresses, women in … Continue reading “Delhi”
On some days I hate India. Yesterday the day started with me having to wait an hour for my cereal because it had been forgotten. Then I went to pick up the laundry I had dropped off the day before. I had stressed that I needed the bag again – “yes OK, no problem”. Of … Continue reading “Getting into a paddy about India”
In the fog – quite frustrating after weeks of cloudless skies. The Taj Mahal is really not without reason the most famous building in India, built by a Mughal king for his 2nd wife. The best of the 20000 workers had their fingers or hands amputated afterwards so that something so magnificent could not be … Continue reading “Agra”
Safari im Ranthambore Nationalpark
Cinema has always been celebrated in India and the Bombay film industry is older than Hollywood. I see a dramatic love story rolled out to epic length. The fact that I don’t understand a word of Hindi only adds to the exoticism. Highlights are the elaborate dance interludes, partly shot in Switzerland. In these, mostly … Continue reading “Bollywood”
The pink city in Rajasthan (India)
Oasis in Rajasthan, India
Sacred rats at Bikaner (Rajasthan, India)
In the Golden City in Rajasthan (India)
In the blue city in Rajasthan (India)
Mount Abu is a kind of Indian honeymoon resort. We didn’t come here for that, though, but for the impressive Jain temples nearby. These temples, almost 1000 years old, are carved out of marble in such detail that it’s hard to believe they took only 14 years to build. LP aptly writes that it looks … Continue reading “Mount Abu”
How fabulously beautiful Udaipur must be when the old city and palaces are reflected in the lake! It’s just too bad when, in a dry year like this, all that’s left of the lake is a sad puddle. The City Palace is nevertheless impressive, the rooms grouped around beautiful courtyards. The rooms themselves reveal that … Continue reading “Udaipur”
Ahmedabad is a rather noisy and smoggy city. Well, some interesting mosques and pretty old houses between Le Corbusier concrete, a fascinating fountain house, but never a quiet place to linger. The bugs I discover in the morning when I take down the mosquito net finish me off. But I only get one bite and … Continue reading “Gujarat”
Cave temple in the basalts of the Deccan Traps (South India)
Between two trains and alone again, I am in Hyderabad, where I didn’t really want to go. At least time passes faster here than in boring Bangalore. The Golconda Fort is interesting, however “… is a must-view” (Lonely Planet) is exaggerated. Nearby are some royal tombs, somewhat similar to the Taj Mahal – but with … Continue reading “Hyderabad”
Wonderful temples in a wonderful landscape (South India)
It’s fascinating that the kids in India beg for a school pen (or chocolate or Rupee if need be) just as insistently as those in Africa or Latin America. The only way I can explain it is that decades ago, good-natured tourists travelled the world handing out pens to assure the children will have a … Continue reading “Give me school-pen!”
Around 10,000 pilgrims scurry through the temple in Madurai every day. They walk in circles around the pillars whose reliefs depict some god or other, pour oil and pile coconuts on the Nandir (Shiva’s buffalo) or throw butter at one of the larger statues of the gods – accordingly, it smells slightly rancid. In the … Continue reading “Temple, Temple, Tamil Nadu”
Sure, there are exceptions. Nevertheless, the rule seems to be that the more staff there are in a restaurant in India (preferably with their backs to the guests), the slower the service. And so you wait half an hour for a Coke after you have finally managed to order… Read on 13 months as a … Continue reading “The Indian Restaurant”
A man who comes to Kochin immediately forgets his wife, because of the beauty of the city. So they say. Indeed, there is something about the cosmopolitan flair with a mix of Portuguese, Dutch, British, Jewish and Indian culture. The city, situated on a narrow peninsula, is very green and the best thing is that … Continue reading “Kerala”
The beach vendor looks at me incredulously: “why do you come to the beach if you don’t want to buy anything?” Well, why? To forget the stress of university, to swim, relax in the sun or read a book in the shade. Eat delicious fish in the evening… And just in time for the European … Continue reading “Goa”
So I landed in Mumbai (Bombay). The culture shock wasn’t as severe as I expected and I quickly got used to the “Hello my friend”. Fatigue was a bit more of a problem on my first day: I fell asleep on the boat to Elephanta Island. I still found the cave temple on the island … Continue reading “Landing in Mumbai”
The rocks of the Zermatt-Saas zone are an ophiolite, i.e. originally oceanic lithosphere (of the Penninic Ocean, the deep-sea basin of the Alpine Tethys). However, the unit is highly deformed, so that the normal sequence of serpentinite (mantle), gabbro, basalt and sediments cannot be found in one piece. Furthermore, they were metamorphosed (eclogite facies, retrograde … Continue reading “Zermatt-Saas Ophiolite (excursion)”
Fieldwork for my diploma thesis at the World’s only active carbonatite volcano
More than 2 m of pumice was deposited on the first day of the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius. The weight caused roofs of buildings to collapse, but people died in the pyroclastic flows (surges) that came down the mountain towards the end of the eruption. A caldera formed during the eruption, and Mt. Somma … Continue reading “Excursion: Volcanism Southern Italy”
Three weeks in Turkey – exactly the time of the war in Iraq, which gave us a cheap flight. I am particularly excited by the ignimbrite landscape of Cappadocia, eroded into fascinating shapes. Early Christian churches set the mood for Byzantine and Ottoman architecture in Istanbul…. and the antiquity of Pergamon or Ephesus. The sinter … Continue reading “Turkey 2003”
Contact aureole
Six weeks in Sri Lanka: the small town of Kandy offers more than the temple with Buddha’s tooth, above all also beautiful surroundings. We drive past the cave temples of Dambulla to the impressive fortress of Sigiriya, perched on a rock. In Polonnaruwa we admire the wonderful semicircular moonstones that mark the entrances of the … Continue reading “Sri Lanka”
Geological excursion: explosive volcanism in the Mediterranean (Greece)