Varanasi is the most holy city in Hinduism and the spiritual home of India’s Sadhus, or holy men who have renounced the worldly life. They are revered by Hindus as representatives of the Gods and sometimes worshiped as Gods themselves. They are ascetics and wanderers and are often displayed as private, dignified, selfless people, respected for their Holiness and feared for their curses.
travel
Oman 2015
After our trip through the mountainous region of Jebel Shams in northern Oman in February 2014, we decided to give the southern part a go on this year’s trip. What we had definitely underestimated a little bit was the sheer distance – 1.023 kilometres from Muscat to Salalah (with the shortest connection).
China 2014
China might not be the most charming nation at times, yet the countryside and bustling cities make up for the lack of hospitality. For many years China as been one of our favourite travel destinations.
China is home to one of the world’s oldest and most complex civilizations covering a history of over 5.000 years. The nation covers a large geographical region with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and provinces.
Hong Kong 2014
Hong Kong offers culture, flair, lifestyle, luxury & adventure. For us, it’s one of the coolest cities in the world. It’s renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of only 1.104 km2, it’s home to a population of more than seven million people, therefore Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
Sadarghat Port | Dhaka
The minute we arrived at Sadarghat Port, we were surrounded by ferrymen who were all eager to row us up and down the river in one of the the many Sampan ferries – the small wooden boats, powered and steered by one person. They wait in a cue to pick up passengers. Watching & documenting the daily life at this very busy port has already fascinated us during our visit in 2012 and we were eager to experience it all over again.
Once we settled the price (roughly 150 Taka per hour – excluding tips), the journey took its course. Rush hour in the Dhaka mean that thousands of people have to cross the busy waters of the Buriganga river. It’s said that this is one of the most dangerous waterways on Earth … and most dangerous for the ferrymen.
These men are really talented and fast with their boats; they navigate them like the cycle Rickshaw drivers maneuver their through the chaotic traffic in the city. It’s hard physical work too with temperatures of up to 40° Celsius (and very often the ferrymen are over 70 years old). Very impressive! It’s not a comfortable ride tough, because you have to sit cross-legged on the wooden boat deck, so cramps are a certain factor if you’re not used to sit in such a position (and of course this was the case for us).
Traffic along the Buriganga river is most common and happening at almost any given hour of the day: big boats and small boats filled with all sorts of different goods make their way up or down the river stream, launches (this is what ferries are called in Bangladesh) come and go, cargo-ships that need a repair job are parked along the waterway…all is normal here at Sadarghat port. As you can imagine with all these boats, several movements of these ferrymen are clearly not for the faint-hearted, but somehow it works out most of the times. Still, every day one or two boats capsize. And sometimes people die.
Sadarghat port is an experience itself and a must for every Bangladesh visitor – the daily chaos with all these boats on the river will stay with you for a long time.
Italy 2014
From North to South, Italy offers some of the most stunning landscapes one could ever find. And luckily, it’s also Austria’s neighbouring country, which makes visiting often quite simple.
Bangladesh 2014
Bangladesh is a stunning country located in the Indian-subcontinent. Formerly known as East Pakistan, it became independent in 1971 after 9 months of bloody war and brutal killings of 3 million people, mostly students and intellectuals.
Bangladesh is renowned for its Cox’s Bazaar beach which is the longest in the world, the beautiful and world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sunderbans, as well as the second largest ship breaking yard in Chittagong or Sadarghat Port, one of the toughest waterway crossings.
Despite being a poor country and devastated by natural disasters and periodic floods every year, Bangladesh is growing strong, gradually developing and is a country with the most welcoming people you’ll ever come across.
Sydney 2014
Australia is the sixth-largest country and dazzlingly diverse: a sing-along medley of mountains, deserts, reefs, forests, beaches and multicultural melting-pot cities. And with Sydney, one of the coolest places to visit. Day or night, Sydney sure is good-looking!
Berlin 2013
Berlin is one of the world’s great capitals. Since the Wall’s collapse in1989, it’s been exciting to see Berlin shed its Cold War-era blossom into a vibrant, hip and relaxed capital city. The nightlife, the people, the museums, the landmarks – Berlin offers a great variety for everyone to enjoy.
China 2012
For thousands of years, China managed to keep its traditions and way of living isolates from the Western world. Only few travellers manage to experience the “real deal” mainly due to language barriers and the reservation of the local people against foreigners. Still, China is one of the most fascinating countries world-wide.
Surfing Teahupoo
Teahupoo itself is a black beach place with many local rent out rooms and the vibes are really good – as they usually are around surf spots. We were lucky to stay with a few surfers from Brazil (including the pro-surfer Dennis Tiahara). When the guys went our for a surf the next day, they asked if we’d dare to go out with them to take some photos. This was a great opportunity and we followed their request immediately. Some local guy they knew, took us out to the massive waves on his jet-ski and we spent the next two days taking heaps of shots right near this world-famous break. It was an unforgettable experience to be so close to the action.
Dragon’s Backbone
The Dragon’s Backbone rice terraces – also known as the Longji rice terraces – are the most famous in China. They were mostly built during the Ming Dynasty, about 500 years ago but construction actually began in the Yuan Dynasty over 700 years ago. Neatly planted with a very sophisticated watering system, this is farming since many hundred years in this fertile area. The walking trails are abundant and it’s easy to spend a week without going the same way and with every step you take you get another view.
Market Life
For many people, life revolves around the market. It’s the place in every city (at least where supermarkets haven’t taken over yet), where people go to buy their daily needs. From dawn until dusk, markets are a bustling melting pot where all social classed collide.
Bangladesh 2012
Bangladesh is a country that usually doesn’t cross a travellers path. The country faces a number of major challenges, including poverty, corruption, overpopulation and vulnerability to climate change. Still, Bangladesh is one of the most fascinating places with the most wonderful & welcoming people, rich culture and fantastic photo opportunities. Hopefully we can return again soon!
Portrait / Men
Portrait / Women
Africa in the 70s
Since I have been travelling from the early 70’s, when all those modern gadgets were not yet invented, travelling overland through remote and unexplored regions of the black continent was a privilege for only a hand full of people. Today a lot of regions that I explored by 4×4 truck with the simple method of a compass and map, are no longer accessible, at least not without an unease feeling. Back then, with Nisa in tow, the little white girl opened doors to the grimmest police officer just with her smile.
Ship Breaking Yard
Research through the internet taught us, that the beginning of the ship breaking industry in Bangladesh came by “accident”. After a severe cyclone in 1960, a Greek ship was stranded on the beach of Chittagong and could not be re-floated for some years. Then it was scrapped and this was the birth of the Bangladesh ship breaking industry – which is the second largest in the world.
Burkina Faso 2012
Burkina Faso is one of these countries, of which most people have never heard of. “Burkina Faso” is thus meant to be understood as “Land of upright people” – and it definitely hold up to this saying. Though a land-locked country, it has much more to offer than one would ever expect.
Laos 2011
One associates Laos with peace, tranquility, calmness & very welcoming people. It’s a landlocked country, where the Mekong winds itself through deep forests, mountain ranges and finally down into the low lands. Monks gather along the shores of the Mekong and it almost seems like, time stands still in this part of the world. As a former French colony, the French-Indochine feeling is very present to this day.
Ghana 2010
Ghana is home to a number of diverse people and cultures, coexisting in a rapidly modernising country. It’s a land of proud people and a destination full of history and relaxation. The country is frequently labelled as ‘Africa for Beginners’, yet getting around is by no means easy. Still, you’ll be able to choose between tropical jungles, the Sahel zone in the North, white sandy beaches in the South or bustling city life when travelling to this destination on the Black Continent.
Food
On our numerous journeys all over the world, we’ve come across all sorts of food and “delicacies”. Some of them have made it onto our personal menu list, while others were eye-candy for our lens.
Barbers
If you’re travelling through India, you’ll notice that the hairdressers you’ll pass along the streets are barbers for men only. Lady hairdressers are mostly hidden behind closed doors or curtains. If you insist enough though, even a local barber will give you a nice wash and blow dry … and if you’re really lucky (and you’re up for it) even a haircut. Don’t worry, hair grows again… after all, no risk, no fun.
Austria
Our home country has much more to offer than The Sounds of Music, Mozartkugeln and Waltz. Austria’s landscape varies from open plains to high mountains, from steppe to deep forests, from small lakes to large rivers and neat little villages to the world famous Vienna.