Park life

Stockholm wasn’t crowned the Green Capital of Europe 2010 for nothing. A third of the city is made up of parks. The best of the bunch is Rosendals, created in on the grounds of King Oscar’s 19^th Century palace on the island of Djurgården. To get there just hop aboard one of the many ferries.

Viking biking

Stockholm has 760 kilometers of cycling lanes, and a congestion charge that deters inner city driving. This not only diminishes pollution from gas-guzzlers, but also makes exploring the city easy and fun. For 12 euros, you can hire one of the 1000+ city bikes for 3 days.

Walk this way

Stockholm is great for walking. Made up of 14 islands, there are loads of car free paths that will give you a unique view of the city. If you don’t love to go a wandering, but would rather have your journey preplanned, check out mapmywalk.com, which has 77 routes to choose from.

Strip for a dip

If the heat is getting to you, why not venture into Stockholm’s clear blue water.  Warmer than you might think, there are plenty of place where you can take a dip, but one of the best is on the old prison island of Långholmen. Popular with Stockholmers and visitors alike, you ‘ll find beaches, open-air stages, beautiful architecture and a dazzling array of allotment gardens.

Garden statues

Millesgården Sculpture Park Museum is the work of sculptor Carl Milles.  An obsession that caused his wife to complain “we have no money for forks or linen, but Carl can always afford columns.” Today we reap the benefit  of his passion, with sculptures from antiquity to the 19^th century scattered in the grounds of his cliff top home.

The thought of watching two cockerels rip each other to shreds held no appeal whatsoever, but rather than chicken out, I decided to wing it.

The feather weight championship

While cock fighting is illegal in most of North America and Europe, it’s still a big hit in Peru. Gamecocks, specially bred and given the finest care possible until the age of two, can cost thousands of dollars. The Cock Fighting Championships of Peru attract tens of thousands of spectators. So when the regional qualifiers were held in the Andean town of Andahuylas where I was living, it was huge news.

The thought of watching two cockerels rip each other to shreds held no appeal whatsoever, but my Peruvian friends insisted I go. Rather than chicken out on this once in a lifetime opportunity, I decided to wing it.

A cockfighting man

Picture this: A small amphitheater with a few hundred spectators. 90% are men. 100% are drinking beer. Spotlights shine on a circle of sand. When a pair of gamecock managers and the master of ceremony, a small man with a big grin, enter the stadium the crowd erupts. The managers glare at each other like prizefighters.

Come out winging

Holding their gamecocks aloft, the managers blow on the birds and ruffle their gamecocks’ feathers. Squawking, the birds are held close enough to peck at each other. The owners step back behind two lines and, with a roar from the crowd, throw the birds into the circle. There’s are a few seconds of total silence as we all hold our breath, and then a frenzy of feathers and flapping as the cockerels launch themselves at one another.

To make the spurs they fight with much more deadly, 5 cm blades are tied to their legs.  One direct hit and a bird flops to the ground. The distraught manager rushes to its side. It moves its wing once and lays still. The master of ceremony rings a bell and points to the victor. The crowd cheers its approval. This spectacle is repeated twenty times in the evening.

The shame game

How did I feel to watch it? Well, it wasn’t as gory as it sounds. You see no blood. You smell no fear. The fights normally last no longer than a few minutes, but it’s still a sickening sight. Yet as the night progresses the beer flows and the bets get bigger, and the atmosphere more intense, you get numb to the suffering. And, by the end of the evening, much to my shame, I was cheering as loudly as the next man. In fact, I was so enthusiastic, one of the managers asked if I’d like to see his birds.

Blade runner

Curiosity got the better of me and the next day I visited his house. In his garden he had twenty birds in separate cages. “Would I like to fight one?” he asked.

He took my shrug as a yes, and before I could refuse, he gave me an Old English gamecock to hold, while he grabbed another cockerel from its cage.

“Fighting is in their genes,” he said, grinning. “They’d kill their own brother if they could.”

Feeling the way the bird squirmed in my arms, desperate to lunge at its opponent, I knew he was right. But tying a 5cm blade to the bird’s leg makes that killing a whole lot more effective. Rather than see that again in the cold light of day, I said my thank yous and did a runner.

Thankfully, I’m not a cockfighting man.

We looked at the last place we wanted to go before we found out that we are going to have a child. And that was Morocco. First we asked our daughter if it’s OK that she will spend a couple of days with her grandparents and she said yes without any hesitation

We quickly started the planning of our trip. We calculated how much the driving would take by planning the routes with Ovi Maps on the web at maps.ovi.com. We would fly into Fez, stay there for 2 nights, drive across the country to Essaouira and from there to Marrakesh, which would be our final destination.

We packed just like we used to do years ago: The essentials in one backpack. When it came to the equipment, I decided to take only a Nokia N86 loaded with Ovi Maps (and a great 8 megapixel camera for the photos) with us. I pre-loaded Moroccan maps and synchronized the routes I had just created. We were good to go. This way we could use Ovi Maps in offline mode and not have any data roaming charges.

Arriving in Fez, we went straight to our guest house in the middle of the medina with the help of the owner who waited for us at the airport. Fez medina gives another meaning to the expression “old city”. The moment that you enter behind the medina’s walls, you feel as if you have traveled 1000 years into the past. Narrow winding alleys, packed with shops, restaurants, mosques and a constant movement of people, donkeys and mules. The first thing we noticed was how fast you lose your sense of direction. The owner of our guesthouse pointed out that we will for sure be lost and advised us not to talk to young men but to ask help from shop owners instead. To get an idea of how complex Fez medina is, check out the  map below (click to enlarge):

5 minutes later we were off to explore. Before we left the guesthouse, I opened Ovi Maps and saved the location. 5 minutes later we were already completely lost. And that was good! Getting lost in Fez medina is one of the best experiences I have ever had during any of my travels. We continued walking for a couple of hours, constantly amazed by what we were seeing. Then we decided to go back and Ovi Maps was put to the first test, getting to the guesthouse. And it worked like a charm. I got the GPS fix, selected the saved location of the guesthouse and pressed “Walk to”. I also activated the N86 built-in compass to point us in the right direction… and off we went.

The Fez medina maps in Ovi are incredibly accurate, with every small alley covered. 15 minutes later we arrived at the guesthouse, all the time walking with the confidence of a local. The owner asked us how it went, we explained and showed him Ovi Maps. He was amazed. We spent a couple of minutes and he helped us save the locations of the medina hidden treasures.

The next day, we used Ovi Maps to walk from one place to the other and get back to guesthouse. No worries whatsoever, just enjoying the sites.

The following day we got our rental car and started driving all the way to Essaouira. A whole day of driving, N86 guiding us all the way. After spending one day in Essaouira we were off to Marrakesh.  N86 got us to the rental car drop point with no glitch.

We met the owner of the Marrakesh medina guesthouse and we repeated the learnings from Fez:  marked the location of the guesthouse and main sites to see. But we also checked the free Lonely Planet Marrakesh city guide in Ovi Maps (one of the 1000+ locations that we cover) and we saved the location of a couple of recommended restaurants. We did this over WLAN in the guesthouse to avoid data roaming charges.

Then we were off to explore. Again we had the same feeling of it being totally fine to get lost. Same great detailed maps of the medina, with every little street charted.

After one more day, our adventure was over and we headed back home.

Looking back, the Marocco trip was one of the best trips we ever had, and Ovi Maps played an important role. It gave us the freedom to focus on what we were seeing, and not be concerned with getting lost or how to get to the next location. It contained incredibly detailed maps and it worked in offline mode so, like mentioned, we were not concerned about the data roaming charges. It guided us on foot or in the car with dedicated navigation modes. It provided us with the information of the best places to see with the help of the free Lonely Planet city guide service.

N86 with Ovi Maps. Our guide, our camera, our PND. And we were able to focus on what we were exploring, not on how we explore.

Download Ovi Maps with free worldwide drive and walk navigation and free premium services from nokia.com/maps. Start using it now. You will enjoy your next adventure even more.

Sister act

The big name musical events of the festival take place in a massive purpose-built tent named Huvila. This year the Huvila highlights are mostly women, and we’re talking divas the like of Martha Wainwright, Cape Verde’s Mayra Andrade, and Finland’s veteran songstress Paula Koivuniemi, who’ll be performing the cream of Finnish love songs. If those don’t take your fancy, other notable names include unorthodox American jazz trio The Bad Plus, and the “uncrowned king of Balkan disco”, Shantel, along with his Bucovina Club Orkestar. Tickets for Huvila events tend to go fast, so book early to avoid disappointment, as they say in the trade.

Classical connection

Classical music is something of a specialty area for Finland, and along with the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival and the Savonlinna Opera Festival, Helsinki has proved a world leader in bringing internationally-renowned performers to one of the keenest concert-going audiences in the world. This year, the standard is upheld (and perhaps even exceeded!) by the appearance of greats such as pianist Evgeny Kissin, appearing for the first time in Finland, and legendary mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená, who will perform a selection of 17th century madrigals. Finland’s own considerable talents in the field will be represented by a Sibelius cycle from Leif Segerstam and the Tapiola Sinfonietta.

Night of the Arts

One of the festival’s highlights each year is “Night of the Arts” – a phenomenon which, I believe, is unique to Finland (prove me wrong if you can!) Basically, cultural institutions such as museums, art galleries, theatres and bookshops are open to the public all night, and the city centre is dominated by a vast number of performances, events and happenings. This year, “Night of the Arts” falls on Friday the 27th of August. Don’t miss out on this unique extravaganza: the breadth of activities defies detailed description. Simply rest assured that there really is something for everyone on show!

The grandest in all of South America

Built in 1919 by Austrian immigrant Max Glücksmann, El Ateneo was originally a theater. But not just any theatre. Carried along by the optimism of the times, Glücksmann wanted to build the grandest in all of South America. His vision fulfilled, Argentineans enjoyed artistic performances to rival the capitals of Europe.

You won’t find a more gloriously decorative place to launch literary careers anywhere in the world.

Splendidly decadent

But Gluckman’s artistic fervor was yet to be sated. In 1924, he launched the modestly titled Radio Splendid. Then five years on he converted the theatre into a cinema. Now, decades later, it premiers novels rather than films.

You won’t find a more gloriously decorative place to launch literary careers anywhere in the world. While it’s not difficult to find opulently decorated cafés and restaurants in Buenos Aires, somehow a bookstore in a similar vein feels outrageously decadent. Perhaps it’s the association with puritan libraries that makes people expect books shops to be more, well… chaste.

Stage write

At the Ateneo, you’re greeted by all the trapping of the finest theatre. Above, high doomed ceilings are resplendent with luscious paintings. On every wall ornate carvings gaze out at you. Balconies ring the shop, while theater boxes allow you to read in peace and comfort. And if you somehow manage to forget the El Ateneo’s theatrical history, the red satin curtains draping the stage will remind you.

A selection to applaud

If you’re not too stage struck, by the dazzling interior, to concentrate, there’s a fine selection of books to choose from too. With one floor dedicated to literature, another to academic tomes, a third to music and a basement chock a block with children’s books, you really are spoilt for choice. And if, while reading the latest literary treat, you’re so overwhelmed by writer’s skill you feel the desire to applaud, go crazy. El Ateneo is more than used to standing ovations.

It has the highest ratio of rich scumbag per square metre and a range of amenities likely to suck up your pay packet in a matter of seconds.

It’s a closely-guarded secret amongst the chattering classes, but between you and me: it is actually possible to visit Monte Carlo on a budget. And that’s not dependent on casino winnings, either! Let me clue you in…

Livin’ La Condamine

With hotel suite prices in this city spiraling upwards into 5 figures, planning your trip to Monte Carlo necessitates finding cheaper accommodation, and fast. Fortunately, there is one area in which you can find nice digs at acceptable prices – La Condamine. Something like 60 Euros a night isn’t uncommon in this neck of the woods, though a bit of careful shopping can pay dividends in quality. A few names to conjure with: Hotel de France, Hotel Cosmopolite, and Hotel de Versailles.

Harbour eats

As with the hotels, most Monte Carlo eateries are squarely targeted at those with more money than sense. With that caveat in mind, those of superior intellect and limited financial resources should head for Monaco Harbour for their vittles. Steer clear of the famous “champagne breakfasts” and you should be fine. A modest lunch will only set you back 10€ or so (insanely cheap for this town!).

Your kicks for free

Obviously, the casinos are off limits for the cost-conscious in Monte Carlo. The life of a true aristocrat, however, is open to you in the form of the Prince’s Palace of Monaco. The throne room, in particular, is a jaw-dropping sight, and is open to visitors all year round. In addition, the southern wing boasts a stunning archive of Napoleonic souvenirs

Nearby stands the wonderful Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium, established in 1910. Here you’ll find enormous tanks of fish and can even get close to some sharks (too close for comfort, I might say).

The Grimaldi Forum is also a great, and moderately-priced, bit of sightseeing. This cultural centre always offers something impressive – from July to September of this year, for example, the Big Apple will be running the show. The “New York, New York.” exhibition showcases fifty years of art, architecture, movies, performances, photography and video from the city that never sleeps.

It took an estimated 8.4 million trees to publish the entire Harry Potter series. That’s one big forest.

Paper over the cracks

There’s no doubt that the book industry is a huge user of paper. It’s been estimated that it took 8.4 million trees to produce all the paper for the Harry Potter series. That’s one big forest and while here at Green Explorer we’re all for saving forest, we’d truly hate to see flashy gadgets replace the touch, smell and sheer pleasure of holding a new book in your hand. Problem is it’s difficult to refute the geek argument without cracks appearing in our own green credentials.

That’s why we were very happy to hear about an initiative, which allows us to maintain our Luddite devotion to the printed word, and stay true to our green roots. Brainchild of Flatmancrooked Publishing, the Zero Emission Book Project aims to “redefine how books get promoted in the 21^st Century”

Do judge a book by its cover

Rather than send their author, James Kaelan, on a traditional book tour, they’re sending him on a cross country bike tour. James plans to visit 10 cities across the US, from Los Angeles to Boston, without creating any carbon emissions whatsoever. That alone warrants some serious respect, but what really gets us into a bookish frenzy is the way the book, a short story collection called We’re Getting On, is produced. First off, all of its production emissions are offset. Secondly, it’s made of 100% recycled material. But the crowning glory is the cover. Created by Porridge Papers in Lincoln, Nebraska, the cover paper contains spruce seeds. Which means that once you’re finished with the book you can plant it into the earth and it grows into a tree!

The bookworm has turned

Is there anything more fantastically Alice in Wonderland than making trees out of books? It’s a truly genius idea in our opinion and one that, no matter how hard they try, IT wizards will never be able to replicate on their fancy KindlePad shiny hand machines. The bookworm, it seems, has turned.

Lucky stars

And there’s no doubt it’s a great option. Located in The Gare de Lyon, which was erected as part of the building program for the Paris exhibition of 1900, the restaurant was opened in 1901. Originally called the Buffett, it took its current name from the luxury train that transported wealthy Parisians to the French Riviera. Regulars have included stars such as Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dali, Coco Chanel and the actor Jean Gabin. The dining room itself was immortalized on screen, when it served as a backdrop in the 1972 movie Travels with My Aunt.

You consider yourself a man of the world, but when you walk through the door, you’re speechless. Never have you seen such an outrageously ornate eatery.

All that glitters is gold

Although you consider yourself a man of the world, when you walk through the door, you are speechless. Never have you seen such an outrageously ornate eatery.

The gold, the murals, the sparkle, the long, leather-upholstered banquettes on a waxed parquet floor and the light of crystal chandeliers reflecting off shiny brass fittings are overwhelming. Your new girl squeezes your hand.

“This is amazing,” she says and you feel better. Then the waiter arrives.

All aboard for grandiose dinning

He looks down his long nose at you, sniffs and leads you to your table. You wonder if he can smell your nerves or if he is just used to foreigners being intimidated by this incredible place. Or perhaps he is simply being French.

The menu is as bourgeois as you’d expect. The starter menu lists oysters, foie gras, escargots and a warm Lyon sausage with potatoes in shallot vinaigrette. Meat dishes include beef steak tartare, prepared at the table; duck breast in honey and spices; leg of lamb, sliced and carved in the dining room.

The girl looks at you and smiles. “Very fancy,” she says.

Your beef fillet with Béarnaise sauce, sautéed potatoes and green beans in butter is delicious. Your companion says the salmon is wonderful and offers to give you a piece to taste. You say yes, then see the waiter staring at you and change your mind.

One trip is enough

You don’t take dessert. Not because Le Train Bleu is pricey (the fixed-price menu runs about 50 euro per person, while an a la carte meal costs about 70 per person), but because you want to get out. You want to go somewhere less golden, less fancy and with no French waiters.

Once outside, the girl hugs you and tells you how wonderful it was. You nod in agreement, telling her how much you enjoyed it, too, but inside you know that you one trip on the Le Train Bleu is enough. The decor was unforgettable, but you prefer your steak served with a smile.

I guess there’s a sucker born every minute and always has been

I’ve become quite intrigued by this chap, and the concept as a whole. So, as you can well imagine, I was thrilled to learn of the existence of Das Fälschermuseum Wien (or, in the proprietors’ rather blunt translation, Vienna’s Museum of Art Fakes).

The plot thickens

Here one can browse a heaving cornucopia of knocked-off likenesses, and learn a great deal about this secret branch of the art trade which has, in fact, been flourishing for centuries – as long as the art market itself! I guess there’s a sucker born every minute and always has been.

Masterpieces of rather dubious origin

Great fakes of all kinds are on hand, and the visitor can take in duplicate works of originals ranging from Rembrandt to Da Vinci. There are also a number of quite astounding stories behind some of these bootlegged beauties.

One master forger hid ‘time-bombs’ in his paintings. Eric Hebborn found eternal peace in a very suspicious way in Rome, and Han van Meegeren cheated Hermann Göring during the 2nd World War into buying a fake Vermeer…

So check it out; have fun, but remember: the wise man keeps his wallet in his trousers in a joint like this!

Secretly dig graveyards?

Years later and this graveyard fetish is yet to disappear. If anything, it’s got worse. Now, rather than spending a few minutes dawdling, there are certain places where I can spend hours wandering around and hanging out with the long gone. If you secretly dig graveyards too, don’t feel ashamed. Instead, enjoy my four favourites. Each and every one is guaranteed to knock you dead.

Spending 3 million pounds on a mausoleum seems like a lot of cash. But then you only die once.

Dying it up

Highgate Cemetery, London, tops my list. Why? Because nobody did death like the Victorians. If you had to choose between living it up or dying it up, they’d go for the latter… apparently, the businessman Julius Beer spent the equivalent of 3 million pounds on building himself a giant mausoleum. Doubtless, Karl Marx, who’s also buried amongst the Gothic tombs would have considered this an example of capitalism’s decadence. And who could blame him.

Chilled to the bone

Next up is Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki. Although not as extravagant as Highgate what it lacks in grandeur it makes up for in beauty. Few capitals cities have reserved such a large central location for their dead and even fewer have a cemetery so chilled out. Located next to a lake and a beach, the mix of Lutheran and Russian orthadox tombs makes Hietaniemi so special it’s a cemetery to die for.

Stone angel heaven

The Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires takes bronze. Like the city itself it’s glamed up and crowded. If the suns out, you’ll find yourself dazzled by the polished marble mausoleums that houses the bodies of the Argentinan upper classes, including the legendary lady of the people Eva Perón. Laid out in sections like city blocks, with wide tree-lined main walkways branching into sidewalks, it’s easy to get lost in stone angel heaven.

Famous carved words

And finally, in fourth, the 44-hectare Pere Lachaise in Paris. Alledgedly the most visited cemetery in the world, Pere Lachaise reeks of history. Other than the Communards Wall, where 147 defenders of the Paris commune were shot in 1871, the place is jam packed with famous historical figures. Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Edith Piaf are just a few of the occupants you’ll stumble across. In fact, it so crowed with celebs, that after a day checking them all out, you’ll doubtless be dead on your feet.