Geneva, music for money

Geneva, rue du Mont-Blanc, close to the train station. An old organ-grinder in action. Beside him, on the organ, his cat is quietly sleeping covered with blankets. Simultaneously, while unceasingly turning the crank, he reads today's news in a couple of the several free papers found here and there in this city – seemingly not too engaged in the music.

In my imgination I see, instead of him, a youngster with an iPod connected to a loudspeaker. Reading some papers, hoping for money. And I am sure – he wouldn't get a single centime. The difference is a battery instead of a turning arm. And, maybe more important, the old organ-grinder adds something the youngster wouldn't do to the Geneva trademark, appreciated by most tourists. A pittoresque and charming accent to a traditional and a little old-fashioned city.

La Dune de Pilat, more sand...

La Dune de Pilat, yesterday I wrote about the biggest area of sand dunes in Europe, the Slowinski National Park at the Polish Baltic Sea coast. The day before there was a story from Cap Ferret at the French Atlantic coast. Now I realize the connection between these photos. When looking beyond the boats, helplessly spread around in the sand waiting for tide, there is a huge sand dune, licked and redesigned by the Atlantic waves. And this one is the biggest single sand dune of our continent, measuring 2500 meters total length and 1500 meters width. On the top you are 120 meters above the waves. This is La Dune de Pilat. I have not been on the top, but I guess it's like so many other things in France – just magnifique.

Slowinski National Park, sand, sand, sand

Slowinski National Park, we come by motorcycle, crossing Gdansk, then follow the coast westwards and arrive at a desert like place in the north of Europe. It's in the middle of summer, we walk up the dunes feeling a bit like clumpsy astronauts on the moon in our heavy clothes. It's hot and it's bright. An astonishing place. These are the biggest sandy dunes in Europe. We sit here for a while like all the others. It's really a great sight and we don't know what to do with it but to sit down for a while. After that we are gliding down back to the bikes. And the wind makes life more comfortable again.

Cap Ferret, roaring waves

Cap Ferret, this photo is in contrast to what it makes me think about. I am at Cap Ferret, the French Atlantic coast not so far from Bordeaux. Cap Ferret is a narrow tongue of land with a nice lighthouse at the ending point. Along the road are expensive summer houses, inhabited by rich city people. Inside Cap Ferret is a shallow creek, Bassin d'Arcachon, where during ebb boats look helplessly thrown up and spread around. That's what my photo is about.

By crossing the Cap Ferret tongue, just a few hundred meters I reach the wild, dark waves of the Atlantic ocean. Walking down in the bright sand, feeling the fresh, salty wind in the face, meeting the huge, roaring waves. Quietly standing there with closed eyes. Feeling an inner calmness, far away from time and space. That is what happens, and that's what I now think about.

Stockholm, dissolving mist

Stockholm, I have a friend who has suffered from a heavy depression now for a couple of years. Being in the middle of darkness you cannot see any gleam of hope. It's frustrating and hard to cope with for us being outside, in daily life, with both clouds and sunshine. But the other day when I met him he had changed, he was almost like before he got ill, and we had a nice time together.

Mist is lifting, light appears. Everything is changing. Always.

Nong Khai, imagine crossing borders

Nong Khai, crossing borders is exciting. By air your imagination may not be too excited, clouds look the same everywhere. Trains are better, roads are excellent, preferably by motorcycle. 

Some bridges connect countries. This is one of them. It's crossing Mae Khong River, connecting Nong Khai in Thailand with Vientiane in Laos. It's called the Friendship Bridge indicating a need of a symbol to confirm a good relationship.

I walk along the great river carefully looking at the other side. Like I did in the early eighties, when arriving with ferry boat at Travemünde. The east German border was as close as is now Laos. Looking for people, cars, bicycles, boats, canoes. Life. 

Until I cross the bridge I keep on imagine what it would be like getting there. 

A huge thunderstorm with heavy winds suddenly breaks out. Interrupted imagination – I hurry inside.

Stockholm, exceptional visual moment

Stockholm, today is a misty day, orientation forward limited to 20 meters, people like sleep walkers, and I am lucky to find my way home and to get inside making a big café crème. Start thinking about and longing for that day in the beginning of April, that great early morning at lake Vindommen 250 kilometers southwards. The sun is warming up the fresh, chilly air, birds are busy preparing for breeding, nature filled with expectations. And so am I. This was April 4th.

Please share with me this exceptional moment of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. You will need a QuickTime player, download if you haven't got one already, and a new visual world gets accessible.