I am so excited to see Seoul appear in my flight plan for the month. I have not been to South Korea yet and I am really looking forward to flying there. The toughest rotations for me are those, where we arrive in the mornings. But after a short nap I start my first exploration of the city and in the evening we go out together for dinner. There is so much to see and observe and process. I love the fashion of the young South Korean women. And the food is so delicious.

On my day off here I plan on visiting a few of the historic sights of the city: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, the Jongmyo Shrine and the Secret Garden. I love the colourful wooden structures. The big gardens provide a bit of quiet green tranquillity. I feel transported back to a quieter and simpler time. Outside of them traffic, skyscrapers and modern city life dominate. Tranquillity is a bit of a stretch, though. The cicadas give a concert and it is anything but quiet. I relish the shade in this tropical heat. At a small kiosk I buy an icy cold bottle of water. At the time it felt like the highlight of my day. It is just so hot and humid. And the water is so refreshing. The Korean guided tour through the Secret Garden allows me to listen to the melodious voice of the guide and take in my surroundings. Birds are chirping and tall gingko trees grow everywhere.

Dongdaemon Market is the highlight of this trip. It is the biggest fabric market that I have seen until now. I simply get lost on the different levels of the long building: haberdashery, jewellery accessories, and so many beautiful fabrics. Trying to get an overview is almost an impossible task. The aisles stretch on and on. I do find fabric for blouses and T-Shirts and I am really happy about my purchases. The rest of the time I just look around, trying to take it all in. What a paradise for sewists.

It is still very hot and humid. I am stopping at an air-conditioned café. It is blissfully cool inside and a frozen matcha latte is just what I need right now. The public wifi is an additional bonus and with the time difference I get to chat with people at home. This could become a tradition in hot countries, sitting in an air-conditioned café, sipping a cool drink and resting my feet.

Der Beitrag Seoul erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

July in Los Angeles. What better way to make the most of a perfect summer day than to rent a car and drive along the coast to Malibu?? We are five colleagues. We worked well together in our galley and decide to spend the day together as well.

We drive along the coast past Santa Monica and Malibu all the way to El Matador beach. The rocks and the waves are quite impressive. And though the water is really cold we do go for a quick swim. Just lying on the beach observing the surfers out in the waves and the beach strollers provides us with lots to talk about. The intensely blue water, the blue sky, the bright sunshine; it feels wonderful today.

Later we have lunch at the Malibu Pier Restaurant. The white pier is already well visible from the distance. The find a spot outside and the waves break underneath us, the sun shines from above, the white lounge décor screams holiday.

We spend a wonderful afternoon together eating and drinking, talking and laughing. This is the sort of crewlife we love so much. Friends for the duration of the flight rotation.

Through the classic traffic jams of LA we fight our way to Hermosa Beach in the late afternoon. The sun is slowly setting, giving the sky and the beach a warm, soft glow. We enjoy a beer at the waterfront and cannot get over the lovely day we have had.

Der Beitrag Los Angeles erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

A spring trip to Israel in May 2016 was just what I needed…. I’m sitting on the beach in Tel Aviv!!! I will have 20 days of holiday and I have rented a room via Airbnb. It is just wonderful here. Every day I get to explore another part of the city, the markets, the beach and other parts of the country. The sun and warm weather makes it all feel like summer is just around the corner.

Because I took the night flight, I arrive early in the morning in Israel. The arrivals hall is a “cemetery of helium balloons”. Countless balloons hang under the high ceiling, unreachable to everyone. But I do not stay here long and make way into Tel Aviv to meet my host for the next weeks. I cannot believe my luck that I am going to spend a few weeks here and get to explore and relax. I have really been looking forward to this holiday.

The first few days I pass with reading by the beach, strolling through different parts of the city and partaking in guided city walks. This way I learn a lot about life in Old Yaffa and about the architectural style of the Bauhaus buildings. City tours are also great for meeting other travellers. The markets are always one of my favourite places. The smells, the sights, the many delicious looking fruits and vegetables, falafel and baklava, household items, clothes, electronic devices… I love doing my shopping here for lunch or dinner, but there are also so many delicious restaurants and street vendors. It is hard to choose at times.

After a few days in Tel Aviv I venture out into the surrounding area. The bus terminal is not far from where I live and I love mastering a new country, a new system, a new language. My first stop is the Apollonia National Park. It is famous for its ruins along the sea. It was begun by the Phoenicians, and then came Greeks, Crusaders and Arabs. There is not a lot to see, but I love being outside of the city. Tel Aviv is still visible in the distance. The sun is shining, birds are chirping. It feels like being on holiday. For a while I observe a pair of bee-eaters. Their coat shimmers in the sunlight and they are busy hopping and flying around. I find a nice secluded spot on the coastline and continue my book. I love the mix of relaxing and exploring.

Another day-trip brings me to the North, to Akko. I am completely fascinated by the Crusader city underneath current-day Akko. The Osman ruler Al-Jazzer built his city over the destroyed Crusader city. Walking through the halls from time to time I come across glass panels showing Greek, Phoenician or Roman remains underneath the Crusader’s structures. The audio guide gives so much interesting information and I feel fully immersed in the life of the people then, their everyday life.

I also love the “upstairs” Akko. The old part of the city is mainly made up of small alleyways with lots of corners and the occasional tunnel passage. Mosques, synagogues and churches can be found here as well as lots of residential houses. The harbour is small and hoopoes hop around at the side of it.

Another item on my “to visit list” is Caesarea. The Phoenicians built here along the coast and the Romans added an amphitheatre, stadium, baths, markets, palaces and a harbour. At the height of the city 50.000 people live here. I try to imagine what life must have been like for people then. Today it is hot and after visiting the ruins I continue my walk along the coast. A secluded and empty stretch of beach is going to be my resting place for a few hours. Sitting in the shade, reading, looking out onto the sea, collecting shells…

I guess no trip to Israel would be complete without a visit to Jerusalem. I spend two days here and love discovering and uncovering the old town with all its historic sights.

A guided city tour provides me with more information than I can process. But it helps me orient myself in the maze of the old town and so it is easier to stroll around afterwards. We visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Wailing Wall, the Temple Mount, the Via Dolorosa and much more. I am fascinated by the religions, the history, the architecture, everything is laden with symbolism.

A bus brings me to the top of the Mount of Olives and with the view over the old town, the Rock Dome and the Al-Aqsa Mosque I walk back down again. I stop by the Garden of Gethsemane and from afar I can already hear the calls to prayer. It is Friday today. I continue my strolls through the old town. I pass through the Muslim quarter, the Christian, Jewish and Armenian areas. The alleyways are small and there are few tourists about. I lose myself in the lanes and love finding out what lies behind the next corner.

After two days at the beach I end my trip to Israel with a visit to the Dead Sea. We leave Tel Aviv in the middle of the night as we want to experience the sunrise from Masada. The hike up to the plateau is already an adventure in itself. It is only beginning to get light and we slowly walk along the serpentines. At five o’clock it is already 30°C. But the view is worth all the sweat. The sun rises slowly over the Jordanian mountains and colours the lake and the plains in soft pastel tones.

Everywhere on the ruins are tour groups. I try to stay clear of them and imagine myself to be alone up here. The view over the Dead Sea is phenomenal, but I equally love the Wadis to the other side. Everything is intensely golden and so beautiful. From up here you can see that the lake used to be much bigger.

Swimming in the Dead Sea is wonderful. The high salt content keeps you afloat and makes you stay on the surface. The mud feels amazing on my skin. We give ourselves mud scrubs and enjoy the rest of the day.

Israel was a lovely holiday with lots of wonderful things to do and see. I have met so many wonderful people on this trip, eaten lots of delicious food, seen so many sights, swam in the sea, visited museums and much more. Such a lovely time.

Der Beitrag A Holiday in Israel erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

It is winter at home and a 12 hours flight later I am in tropical Singapore. It feels so nice; the warmth wraps around me like a blanket. I know sweat will soon start to flow, but still I relish the tropical climate. It makes for a nice change. Life at home was quite stressful before I flew here and so I plan on spending a very relaxing layover.

Eating in one of the many food courts in Singapore is always among the highlights. In the evening a group of us meet up and have dinner together. There are so many other Singaporeans and tourists out enjoying a dinner together with friends or family. I love the atmosphere. Because of the jetlag I slowly get tired and participate less in the conversation and listen more to the sounds surrounding us. It is so beautiful.

Today I take the metro to the Botanical Garden. Strolling past the pond to the different garden areas I love observing the joggers, the walkers, nannies with strollers, sports groups on the lawn… I am always on the lookout for the lizards at the pond. Sometimes they are swimming leisurely between the turtles, sometimes they stroll along the paths and sometimes they are lying somewhere in the sun relaxing. They are such ancient looking creatures, I love the way they move.

The National Orchid Garden is one of my favourite places in Singapore. It is such a tranquil place; especially after having left the entrance area behind me. I find it fascinating that the orchids grow outside the way we plant roses in our gardens. There are so many different varieties, so many different colours: little yellow blossoms, big pink ones, white and purple, red, greenish, orange… On top of the hill the VIP Orchid Garden shows orchids grown for and named after foreign dignitaries. I have a book with me and plan on finding a bench somewhere as I stroll down. I could spend hours here.

A little closer to our hotel and therefore, a little easier to reach is Gardens by the Bay. I always pass by the Supertree Grove because I find it fascinating. But then I usually walk on and find a spot somewhere a bit further from the main pathways. Birds are chirping, crickets are singing their songs and I am surrounded by lush greenery. Sometimes the Marina Bay Sands hotel looms tall in the distance. I always make sure to bring enough water so I can stay as long as I want. There are so many hidden reading spots.

My layover was so incredibly relaxing. Apart from the downpour that drenched me on my way back from the Botanical Garden it was blissful peace and quiet. At the Mustafa Centre I got Indonesian batik fabric for skirts for me and my sisters, some Tiger Balm and a few spices. I love shopping in foreign supermarkets. It is just so much fun to see what is on offer, what specialties they have and trying new things.

Der Beitrag Singapore, my love 1 erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.