Author: Dan Emodi

THE WATCH SAYS IT’S 1pm, BUT THE SUN IS SETTING

The GPS says it’s 69º North. The thermometer shows it’s 20º below zero. In my native tongue – Hebrew, there’s a word for “cold”. There’s also a word for “Bitter cold”, but when things get really damn icy, there’s another expression, “Kor Klavim” – a “dog’s cold”. This linguistic trivia is quite surprising given the fact that Hebrew is a Semantic language from the Middle East, a place not known for dog sleds.

And yet, here we are, in Kiruna on the northern tip of Sweden. It’s Kor Klavim, and the dogs around are braking like they couldn’t have had enough of it. We’re, on the other hand, are freezing.
Thanks for asking.
Continue reading “Kor Klavim”

ABUSING A NATURAL WONDER WAS NEVER SO COMFORTABLE

These are the Niagra falls seen from the 26^th floor of the Embassy Suites Hotel. Now, aren’t they grand? Good thing you can’t see the hotel itself. It’s a real eyesore.
And not just the hotel. Everything on this side of the Niagara is a grotesque piece of unplanned monstrosity. A tourist attraction gone horribly wrong.

Shall we grab another Brandy from the minibar?

Continue reading “A corner suite Niagara “

LEAVING IT UP IN CAPRI. THAT’S NO TYPO

Don’t you just love Italy? The sea, the mountains, the villas, the food, the history, the music, the vibe…
And then, of course, there are the scoundrels, the thieves, the price bumpers, the cons and the worst of all – the tourist trappers.

Yep, Italy got’em all, and no place got more “all” than all of them than the tiny island of Capri.

Continue reading “A tourist trap from above”

EVERYONE’S GONE. THEIR LOSS!

November on the High Sierra-Nevada. Waterfalls have almost all dried up, the crowds too. We’re heading up from San Jose, driving a Kia of some sort on route 580 all the way up to the queen of all US National Parks – Yosemite.

Continue reading “Yosemite at its best”

HOW DO YOU SAY VENICE IN CHINESE?

Forget Shenzhen, and it’s Hong-Kong-like facades. Pay no attention to Shanghai, with its tall glass towers and “eat-your-heart-out-Manhattan!” aspirations. They are all too busy with being an in-your-face, soulless showcases of a new and sumptuous China, to notice you.

Zhouzhuang, on the other hand, is a whole different story.

Continue reading “What lies on the other side of the Silk Road?”

MONSOON SEASON IN PINNAWALA

It was raining hard and the place was muddy, but we couldn’t care less. We were inside a large Elephant herd and felt as if we were part of a family of giants. Better watch out not to get trampled by the great beasts.

Continue reading “Where do elephants go when it’s raining?”

WOULD YOU VOLUNTEER TO BE STRANDED?

Tending a lone island must rank high amongst people’s wish lists. Why not? Disconnected from the pressures and whims of our 21^st century, huddled inside a 19th-century mansion, surrounded by empty beaches, natural beauty, and lots of wildlife. Heck – this could very well be the best job in the world!

Continue reading “Deserted on Desert Rock”