Mesmerized in Mendocino

SO PERFECT, IT SHOULD BE OUTLAWED!

Imagine the perfect afternoon. Resting in a comfy chair on top of a verdant cliff overlooking the grand Pacific Ocean. A gentle breeze caresses your forehead as you clutch a glass of fine twelve-year-old Balvenie, wondering what it is you’ve done to deserve all of this. Below, an unspoiled stretch of Northern Californian coast frames a series of sharp rocks, so flawlessly aligned as if created by an AI generator. In front, just above the coastline, the view ahead is cut short by a curtain of rolling fog. Just above it, the soft afternoon sun provides precisely the right amount of warmth, making you cuddle like a cold lizard on a hot rock. Behind your back, surrounded by a grove of Californian old growth, a small and exclusive wooden inn, eight rooms in total, overlooks the estate, like a relaxed, time-worn shepherd overseeing his flock.

The setting was so perfect, in fact, I nearly forgot to mention it came complete with a two-star Michelin restaurant – vying for a third.

Continue reading “Mesmerized in Mendocino”

8 things to do in Vancouver

WHEN IT’S SUNNY!

Vancouver is known for many things – natural beauty, excellent cuisine, laidback atmosphere, and mild temperatures (compared to the rest of Canada, that is). One thing Vancouver is not known for is its bright skies. With only 155 days registering “measurable sunshine” per year, the 2.6 million city and suburbs are about the darkest place in North America. Yes, Whithourse is even darker, but good luck finding it on the map. So, it was with some relief that we found ourselves swimming in sunshine, not rain, while visiting town – two years in a row!

Was it luck, or perhaps an under-the-table fat bribe to the goddess of fortune? Well, stick around and find out.

Continue reading “8 things to do in Vancouver”

Springtime for Mao

BEIJING IS HAPPY AND GAY

I did not expect to see a pair of lesbians taking photos dressed in Western wedding garments on the banks of the Qianhai Lake, just north of the Forbidden City. Then again, I did not expect to see Beijing so beautiful, tidy, and welcoming. It has been close to 25 years since my last visit to the capital, the People’s Republic of China. What did I expect? A better-managed version of Afghanistan?

Continue reading “Springtime for Mao”

The complete Sardinia Ride – Part V (Final)

FROM OROSEI BACK HOME

A guy dressed like Napoleon Bonaparte rides a horse down Main Street. His horse is led by what looks like a Turkish servant wearing a tall orange fez. On the sidewalk, a young couple dressed in 16th-century attire trade French kisses in front of Porky’s Sex Shop. It’s the First of May Sant’Efisio celebration, and in Cagliari, they take their processions seriously. And as for us? We’re just happy to have made it so far alive.

Continue reading “The complete Sardinia Ride – Part V (Final)”

The Complete Sardinia Ride – Part IV

FROM PELOSA BEACH TO OROSEI

It’s four degrees, and the heat coming from my Ducati Diavel V4 engine can barely change the fact that I’m freezing. We are 200km from Hamamatsu, the birthplace of Yamaha and Suzuki, and I can hardly wait for the ordeal to end. On my right, the colossal Mount Fuji peaks in between the clouds. Fully covered in snow, it is a mighty sight to be seen (and quite rare, too, as the local folks tell me later). Still, all I can think about are the never-ending bends of route SP95 towards Alavari. That, and a warm cup of green tea!

Continue reading “The Complete Sardinia Ride – Part IV”

The complete Sardinia ride – Part III

FROM MAMOIADA TO PELOSETTA BEACH

The road winds ahead as if taken directly out of the pages of some old Moto magazine. Hung on the edge of a verdant cliff, it snakes its way forward, barely clutching the rock beneath. A deep turquoise Mediterranean on my left is a constant disruption, threatening to throw the distracted rider into its cold abyss. This is the kind of road we came here for. Give me the helpline of the Oxford Dictionary – I have found the definition of “perfect!

Continue reading “The complete Sardinia ride – Part III”

The complete Sardinia ride – Part II

FROM CARLOFORTE TO MAMOIADA

The waiter comes rushing in with a plate of Fregola Sarda ai Frutti di Mare, a local favorite. The dish includes a whole crab split into two, nestled in a sea of clams, mussels, and calamari. It resembles something the crew of the space tag Nostromo might have had, had they succeeded in killing the Alian. It’s a simple, almost rugged dish, yet it’s nothing short of fabulous. Some would say it makes the perfect analogy to the island itself. I think they’re on to something.

Continue reading “The complete Sardinia ride – Part II”

The complete Sardina ride – Part I

FROM INCEPTION TO CARLOFORTE

I hear a loud “Bang” and “screeeech״ as my Arai helmet and the left side bag butt against the red-plastered wall. The motorcycle jolts violently to the right, and me with it. I’m thrown, shoulder first, against the stone pebbles, my right hand still gripping the throttle. Big mistake. The back wheel, now free of ground friction, spins fast against my left foot.

I hear my friend yelling over the Packtalk Mesh intercom, “Oh, S***!”

Continue reading “The complete Sardina ride – Part I”

Distinguished Gentlemen! (and Ladies)

MUSTALGIA ON THE SANTA MONICA PIER

There’s a comically oversized guy on a small, beat-up old Lambretta. He says he’s in for the ride. He has a complete set of floodlights attached to the old Italian scooter that would scare Bambie a mile away. It’s not even noon. I can only wonder how he made it so far up the pier. Another one shows up on a Bonneville. He’s dressed up in a full three-piece vintage suit, complete with a matching pocket handkerchief and a well-groomed dandy mustache. It’s Santa Monica, and the Southern California sun is beating down our heads. Nobody seems to mind the inadequacy. A third shows up in a side-cart Bimmer. He, his wife, and the little kid are all in Tigger suits. Somehow, that passes almost as normal. Welcome to the Distinguished Gentlemen Ride, a magnet for the Hipsters, the nostalgics, and the downright eccentric.

With over 500 motorcycles, it’s a weird spectacle of American proportions.

Continue reading “Distinguished Gentlemen! (and Ladies)”

The Michelin Award is behind the espresso machine

TOKYO-STYLED PUBLICITY

“Why the hell would you hide two Michelin awards?” I asked Tsubasa Tamaki, Pizza Tamaki Studio’s owner and Chef. I know that the Japanese take things differently than other humans, but still, having devoured a few exquisite pies, I couldn’t make any sense of it. “We Japanese don’t like to boast,” he says with a shrug, “Please note that I also placed two chubby Michelin dolls on the window overlooking the dark back alley.”

All I could think of was, “I’m in Tokyo. What answer did I expect?”

Continue reading “The Michelin Award is behind the espresso machine”