It’s Never Too Late to See The World

by Martha Edwards on

My mother, at 56, is getting her pilot’s license. Flying’s always been a passion of hers and a tragedy in the family reminded her that life’s short. I’m pretty proud of her. The reason I’m telling you this is because I love stories like that, where someone goes against what’s normally expected of them to fulfill a dream.

Here’s another story: As his 50th birthday approached, Gunther Holtorf decided he wanted to see the world, and a two-week vacation every now and then wouldn’t do. No, he wanted to see everything, so he and his wife, Christine, loaded up their off-road vehicle and started driving …. to Africa. That was 17 years ago and by now, he’s travelled to over 100 countries across every inhabited continent. And he’s still going.

He hasn’t been traveling non-stop — he and Christine will drive cross-country for 6 months or so, and fly back home to Germany, where they begin preparing for the next journey. He still has a place to call home, although a love of the open road dominates his life. Personally, I think this sounds like an ideal existence.

One for the Road: Berlin, Hotels & More

by Kelly Amabile on

Being a German company and all, I guess it’s only natural that TASCHEN publish its share of native titles. A few weeks ago I mentioned the hefty Spirit of Berlin. Now we’ve got the recently released Berlin, Hotels & More, the latest in Dr. Angelika Taschen’s Hotel series.

One of the special selling points of this guide series is the detailed look at specific hot spots to visit in the hotel’s neighborhood. The book features accommodation suggestions that lean towards high-end and luxury, but includes a variety of hotel, pension and serviced apartment recommendations.

Forthcoming titles in this Berlin series include Restaurants and Shops, both due out in August. This softcover series also includes books on hotels in London and Paris, but should not be confused with TASCHEN’s hardcover The Hotel Book series.

One for the Road: The Spirit of Berlin

by Kelly Amabile on

We’re looking at new May releases all this week at One for the Road, and I’m guessing this one weighs more than any other we will mention. So this is really one for the road that you should actually leave at home.

The design team at Cologne-based TASCHEN has just released a hefty photo montage of Germany’s capital city. The Spirit of Berlin: A Photographic History Into the City’s History is just that — a collection of almost 700 images from 1860 to present day that captures the soul of Berlin, a city that has survived devastating destruction and now thrives as a center of European business and culture.

The 672 page book (!!) is an impressive compilation of images that visually tells the story of Berlin and its inhabitants. Author Hans Christian Adam viewed over 10,000 images — including maps, portraits and aerial photos — while assembling this comprehensive pictorial history. Pick up a copy to see which ones made the cut in this tribute tome to a grand city.

Gipfelbier, or Another Excuse to Drink Beer

by Justin Glow on

I read an interesting AskMetafilter question the other day, it asked: “What is the German word for a beer enjoyed at the top of a summit that you have just climbed?” Apparently the asker climbed Mount Tongariro on the North Island of New Zealand, where they ran across two German men on the summit, each enjoying a beer along with the beautiful view. “They told us that this was a traditional thing for German hikers to do on top of mountains that they summit, and they even had a specific word for the beer enjoyed on such an occasion.”

It turns out there is a term for such a thing: Gipfelbier, or “summit beer.” According to a response posted to the original question, “Gipfelbier or Gipfelhalbe (Halbe = half a liter of beer), it’s simply a reward for having made it to the top, Gipfelschnaps is also common.”

Any excuse to drink beer is fine with me, even if it means lugging it up a mountain first.

Video: Airbus A380 Test Evacuation

by Justin Glow on


Last year we reported that the Airbus A380 passed its jumbo jet evacuation test in Hamburg, Germany, and here’s the video to prove it. The crew was able to evacuate all 873 people on-board in almost complete darkness in 77 seconds, with only one broken leg (out of 1,746!) and 32 minor injuries. Not too shabby!

Related: The Cranky Flier’s Look at the A380, Airbus A380: More Passengers Means More Toilets, and Touring the Airbus A380.

[via cynical-c]