Niger 🇳🇪

busy city, temples, arid life, street markets, monuments, heat

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life February 2024 Being intrigued by Africa since my first trip as young teenager with my mother in the 1970es, not everything left great memories from the trips during the last decade, private as well as professional ones. Especially West Africa did not live up to the expectations, […]

Bhutan 🇧🇹

Buddhism, Nature, Monasteries, tranquil, Archery

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life November 2023 This country has been on my bucket list literally for decades, and yet it ended up one of my last on the UN 193 list.But let’s give it away right now. This one raises to my Top 10 countries list. So where do I begin. […]

Catalonia Wine Trip 🇪🇸

Mas Martinet, Sara Perez, René Barbier, Josep d'Anguera, Roc Gramona, vineyard visits, world class wines, wset diploma

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life July, 2023 Long anticipated reunion After having finished the last block session of the Wine Academy Austria in Florence in April 2022 where we shared an apartment, we then promised to stay in contact in the future. Also we introduced a “wine fund” to whom we all […]

Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬

Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Mountain Lakes, Yurts, Alpine Regions, Monuments, Animals, Horses

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 2023 Kyrgyzstan facts This relatively small country has been under influence from its neighbours since centuries, via culture and power. The Russians in the past while under the USSR, culturally from Mongolian tribes and recently by China. The countryside is quite different from its Western Stans […]

Tajikistan 🇹🇯

Central Asia, Tajikistan, Mountain Lakes, Monuments,

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 2023 Tajikistan facts Squeezed in between by mountains and neighbours, Tajikistan is probably the Central Asian country which has more development ahead of itself than any other. The territory is divided by huge mountain ranges which make up for more than 80%. One can find huge […]

Uzbekistan 🇺🇿

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Khiva, , Bukhara, Samarkand, Silk Road, Medressas, Fortresses, Monuments, Silk & Spices Festival

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 2023 Uzbekistan facts Apart from huge Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan is by far the biggest , most populated and divers Stan. Reaching from the (mostly disappeared) Aral Lake, the Karakum Desert down to the Afghani border and all the way East to the Fergana Valley, more than 35 […]

Turkmenistan 🇹🇲

Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Ivory Buildings, Illuminated City, Monuments

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 2023 Turkmenistan facts Just to get to this country requires some staying power. While it was never easy to visit before covid, it was then 3 years completely closed and under lock down, and even now requires an invitation letter and a hefty price for a […]

Antarctica 🇦🇶 & South Georgia 🇬🇧

South Georgia, Expedition, Wildlife, Ice, Wales, Penguins, Cruise, Waling Station

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life February 2005 and 2011 Trip to the South End A trip to this large continent is like no other. It takes time, patience and unfortunately not insignificant money to get there. But it’t worth while. Getting to Antarctica is through the tip of South America, which is […]

WSET Diploma Block Session 3 🇮🇹

WSET Diploma, Austrian Wine Academy, Florence, Weinakademiker, Block Session Tuscany, wine tasting, tasting training, wine excursions, wine friendships, Avignonesi

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life April, 2022 Session in Florence and wine day trips The last block session is being regarded as the icing on the cake for this program because it features great excursions even though classes in a hotel in central Florence remain nourishing.  However it felt like being a […]

The Caribbean 🇰🇳🇦🇬🇩🇲🇱🇨🇹🇹

Dominica, Roseau, Caribbean, Island, Trafalgar Falls, DJI Magic Air 2S, Dronefootage

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life January 25th, 2023 My ultimate tour through the Caribbean This might be the last Caribbean tour for a while. After visiting a good number during the TransAmerica2021 trip together with friends, this time I am back as a solo traveller exploring the islands I have not seen […]

El Salvador 🇸🇻

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life January 22th, 2023 At home I got a few astonishing looks when letting people know that I am going to visit El Salvador. I really enjoyed it’s neighbor Nicaragua not too long ago and I really liked it. So I was not surprised and my hope was […]

Hawaii 🇺🇸

Hawaii, USA, Big Island, Kona, Hilo, Mauna Kea Volcano, Kilauea Volcano, Sunsets

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life January 12th, 2023 The Islands of unexpected diversity & beauty Hawaii was not on top of my list initially when finding a place to get away from my least favorable months of the year here in Switzerland which is “dark” November. As Asia was not really “open” […]

Cabo Verde 🇨🇻

Cabo Verde - Sal - Expedition by private plane - Transamerica 2022

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life March 6th, 2022 Even though it has only been a mere 5 months since we came back from the Caribbean and Central America last October during our transamerica2021 expedition it feels good to be on tour again. For me however it is different this time. I will […]

San Diego 🇺🇸

San Diego - La Jolla - Del Mar - Encinitas - Coronado Island - Julien - Borrego Springs - Anza Borrego Desert

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life January 21th, 2022 Like in another post one could say why San Diego again! Well there is never enough SD for me. It’s my second home since having lived there in the 90ies and gone back more or less every year. It was the first time after […]

The Valley, Anguilla, BOT 🇬🇧🇦🇮

Transamerica 2021 | Anguilla | Caribbean | British Overseas Territory

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transamerica 2021 STOP 4  September 30, 2021 Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands – The Valley, Anguilla, British overseas territory Flight distance: 252 nm (Pick up stop in BVI) Hours in the air: 0:30 The Valley, Anguilla Today’s formalities in the US Virgin Islands were swift and easy […]

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 🇺🇸

Transamerica 2021 | Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands | Caribbean | St. Thomas

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transamerica 2021 STOP 3  September 29, 2021 Scrub Island, BVI- Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands Flight distance: 60 nmHours in the air: 0:24 The US in The Caribbean! A short hub over and we were in St. Thomas, at the airport that is. What followed was a fine […]

Scrub Island, BVI 🇬🇧🇻🇬

Transamerica 2021 | Scrub Island, BVI | Caribbean | Tortola

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transamerica 2021 STOP 2  September 28, 2021 Saint Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon – Scrub Island, BVI Flight distance: 2577 nm (Fuel stop in Bermuda)Hours in the air: 3:06 / 2:30 First dive into the Virgin Islands Another hectic morning awaited us. We needed fresh Covid tests which […]

Saint Pierre and Miquelon 🇫🇷🇵🇲

Transamerica 2021 | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | France in North America

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transamerica 2021 STOP 1 September 26, 2021 Mollis, Switzerland – Saint Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon  Flight distance: 3248 nm (Fuel stop in Keflavik, Iceland)Hours in the air: 3:48 / 4:12 An odd French place in Northern America The “oldest Glarner”, a common, sometimes strong wind greeted us at […]

Tanzania 🇹🇿

Serengeti National Park, Matawi Serengeti Camp, Zebra, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Hypo, Buffalo, Crocodile, Flamingo, Gnu, Giraffe, Antelope, Dik-Dik, Turtle, Aerial Views

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life February 3rd, 2021 The land of beauty and tranquility Our journey took us along the famous northern circuit starting in Arusha. We first headed towards Lake Manyara and Taragire N.P. Followed by the Ndutu Area in the southwestern part of the Serengeti before entering the National Park. […]

Antarctic Peninsula 🇦🇶

Antarctica, Antarctic Peninsula, Expedition, Arctic Wildlife, Ice, Wales, Penguins, Cruise

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life March 8th 2017 Journey on board a small vessel suited for the Antarctic waters. The trip included one of the first possibilities to camp overnight on Antarctic soil while not being part of state sponsored program.