Monday, December 13, 2021

Outstanding Glass Art by Dale Chihuly

 



Dale Chihuly, THE most outstanding glass artist, has explored new and old techniques, pushing the boundaries of contemporary art. He draws inspiration from the - natural - world around him. 
Living or traveling in the USA, Japan, or the UK?  You might not be far from a museum that exhibits his artwork.  Even many botanical gardens, among them the one in Columbus, Ohio, and St. Louis, MO, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ, or the Kew Gardens in Great Britain, are displaying his artworks. 




Not only his museum in Seattle, WA, but many more in the USA and around the world offer a permanent exhibition of his work.  Permanent exhibitions of his glass art can be found, among many other places, in:

  • Toyama, Glass Art Museum, Japan
  • Oklahoma City, Museum of Art, OK, USA
  • St. Petersburg, Morean Arts Center, FL, USA
  • Tacoma, Art Museum, Washington, USA
  • Colorado Springs, Fine Arts Center, Colorado, USA
  • Pamela & Fred Buffett Cancer Center, Omaha, NE, USA
  • Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY, USA
  • Kew Gardens, UK



"I want people to be overwhelmed with light and color in some way that they've never experienced."
~ Dale Chihuly




Dale Chihuly began his career with weaving.  During a weaving class at the University of Washington, he first incorporated glass shards into woven tapestries in 1963.  This foray into glass led him to blow his first glass bubble in 1965, by melting stained glass and using a metal pipe.  Years later he revisited the idea of textiles and glass, drawing with intricate threads of glass, then fusing the threads onto the molten glass.  This pick-up drawing technique was used by Dale and his team in his Cylinders and other series.



From 1994 to 1996, the artist worked with glassblowers in Finland, Ireland, Mexico, and Italy to create 'Chihuly Over Venice', a series of Chandeliers that he hung over canals and in piazzas of his favorite city.





Dale Chihuly has completed ambitious architectural artwork installations all over the world.  Inspired by a lifelong interest in architecture and gardens, Chihuly creates site-specific sculptures for a wide variety of settings

Chihuly Studio creates some 30 site-specific pieces a year, ranging in price from $200,000 to millions of dollars, and has done commissions for collectors like Bill Gates and Bill Clinton.

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Tuesday, November 23, 2021

La Ventana - Baja California Sur

 



Looking for a relaxing vacation in Mexico close to the beach - but not in a "touristy" place? 
Baja California Sur (southern part) on Mexico's most western peninsula is the perfect place to enjoy nature, sun, water sport, local experience and lifestyle, hot springs, and the marvelous beaches of the Sea of Cortez / Pacific Ocean.



Vacationers Can Choose Between Lots of Activities
Swimmers, surfers, stand-up paddle-boarders, sailors, scuba divers, snorkelers, sea-kayakers, whale-watchers, kite-surfers, water-skiers, and anglers, spearfishers are enjoying the waters around Baja California Sur.  Kite-surf schools teach newbies to this sport and rent out the equipment.

                                          


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Many small bars, coffee shops, and restaurants in a wide variety overlook the water and are also dotting the main road of La Ventana.  Visitors find several places that offer yoga and massages.


Not far from the unspoiled beaches and small fishing spots, lots of hills and mountains are stretching endless to the horizon.  Small farms are hidden in the cactus and brush forest where families live like a hundred years ago - but with the help of solar now.  Cows, pigs, and goats are roaming (and sometimes walk on the small country roads).




Tango Azul Casitas
Consider a stay in one of the lovely, brand-new casitas in La Ventana, Baja California Sur, still a hidden gem.  These casitas (small boutique hotel-style houses) belong to the Tango Azul Resort with its native, charming gardens, attractive pool, and a huge thatched gazebo (palapa in Spanish).  Here you always find a cool breeze - even at the hottest time of the day.  



Under the palapa's roof, guests enjoy a complimentary breakfast or their own meals after a day on the beach.  Perfect also for digital nomads to work in the gazebo's shade on their IT jobs and even use it for "working from home" with the help of the fiber-optic high-speed internet connection. 


Take a dip in the swimming pool.  It is open all day and evening for guests to enjoy and relax on beach lounges under the umbrella shade.  Or walk down 700 meters to the sunny beaches for a swim or snorkel.


Next to the three small Mexican-style hotels, Tango Azul Resort Park has also RV lots and tent sites for those who road-trip to the Baja California Sur. 


Two Airports to Reach La Ventana:
La Paz (approx. 45 minutes away) and Cabo San Lucas (2 hrs away) are connecting travelers from Canada (e.g. Calgary, Toronto, or Montreal, etc.) the USA (e.g. Dallas, Chicago, Las Vegas, etc.), and other parts of the world.  Airlines include for example SouthWest, Delta, American Airlines, WestJet, Alaska Airlines,  Aeromexico, etc., and KLM, Lufthansa, or TUI from Europe.



If you land in Cabo San Lucas, the coastal-road Hwy #1 takes you through Southern Baja California from the beaches of Los Cabos, through the Sierra de la Laguna mountains with stops at quaint villages, and ends with more beaches and water activities in delightful La Ventana.  This mountain drive has many curves, so caution is recommended.  Pick-up at the airports can be arranged, so you don't even need a rental car.

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Wyndham Hotels: A Not-so-happy Traveler

 



Traveling and staying in Hotels is most of the time great pleasure. Even though finding the right hotel for an overnight stay can be stressful at times, as I experienced when booking a hotel in Arkansas. It was not the availability, the price, or amenities - but the fact that the hotel chain tried to force me to let them sell my personal data to third parties. It seems they want to make an extra amount from hotel guests - besides the overnight stay payment...


I booked the hotel room, paid by credit card, and AFTER that, they forced me to sign and allow the sales of my own personal data to third parties !!!

Otherwise one cannot complete the booking... 

I certainly did not complete it - but reported the issue to the FCC


Here is a copy of their website:

Wyndham Hotels - Days Inn - booking in Rogers, Arkansas

https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/days-inn/reservation/book


Please indicate your marketing preferences below:


Yes, I would like Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC and the Wyndham group of companies to keep me updated on promotions, hotel and resort rate offers, and deals from program participants (such as airlines, car rentals, travel insurers, etc.) by email, postal mail, SMS, and/or telephone.


Yes, I would like Wyndham Hotel Group, LLC to forward my details to select third parties (such as airlines, car rentals, travel insurers, etc.) to offer me travel-related products or services by email, postal mail, SMS, and/or telephone.




COMPLETE RESERVATION


Wednesday, August 25, 2021

The European Capital of Art Nouveau: Brussels, Belgium

 

Tassel House stairway

Art Nouveau

This artistic movement, characterizing the aesthetic research and renewal of architecture and decoration in the west at the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century. The stylistic revolution represented by these works is characterized by their open plan, the diffusion of light, and the brilliant joining of the curved lines of decoration with the structure of the building - or later the rectangular lines of Art Deco.





Brussels is - beside Riga, Latvia, Vienna, Austria, and Glasgow, Scotland - a city with a huge amount of Art Nouveau buildings and interiors. If you are - like me - a fan of this end of 19th century’s architectural style, there are so many architectural gems and Art Nouveau artifacts to discover in Brussels.  Starting from the Fin-de-Siecle Museum, thousands of house facades throughout the city to open-house visits from Victor Horta, Couchie, to Art Deco Architect Josef Hoffmann buildings. 





Art Nouveau was most widely used in interior design, graphic arts, furniture, glass art, textiles, ceramics, jewelry, and metalwork.  What are the Art Nouveau characteristics?

  • Asymmetrical shapes
  • Extensive use of arches and curved forms.
  • Curved glass and curving, plant-like embellishments
  • Mosaics and stained glass
  • And Japanese motifs


Even the Musical Instruments Museum or the Belgian Comic Strip Center are presented in Art Nouveau buildings.  And then there are self-guided walks in several parts of the city.  The tourist information at the city hall and on the Royal Place sell useful maps describing walking tours, details about the buildings, and lots of images - available in English, French, Netherlands, German, and Spanish.  Despite significant public demand, few art nouveau venues are open to the public year-round in Brussels. 




Five House Museums

Maison Autrique, one of Victor Horta's earliest creations, was purchased by the municipality of Schaerbeek. restored and opened to the public in 2004, it presents decorations restored in the spirit of the period thanks to marvelous wallpapers in an original scenography based on the theme of the Belle Époque. it welcomes 7 to 10,000 visitors per year in various exhibitions and activities.

Charlier Museum: It is housed in a neo-classical mansion that shows the art collection of the patron Henri van Cutsem, which was transferred to the municipality of Sint-Joost-ten-Noode by his legatee, the sculptor Guillaume Charlier. between 1890 and 1893, victor Horta built two extensions to the rear of building 6.

Cauchie House was the personal home of the architect Paul Cauchie. Saved from destruction, it was restored and opened to the public in 1994, thanks to the persistence and boundless investment of its owners, Guy and Léo Decissy and their children.

Horta Museum, one of the most wonderful examples of Art Nouveau, opened for visitors from noon on, is situated on 25 Rue Americaine. It shows the architect's personal home as well as his work studio - a gem of art nouveau architecture. It is a self-guided tour, though there is a set route and the museum staff will ensure you follow it correctly. No photographs may be taken…

Solvay House: Between 1894 and 1898, this most prestigious of Art Nouveau mansions was built to the designs of Victor Horta for Armand Solvay, son of the famous industrial magnate.

Horta was given an unlimited budget, and created an interior full of visual fireworks, using noble and precious materials. The range of red and orange hues reinforces the luxurious and comfortable atmosphere. The building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


Originally, these houses, which have become museums, were obviously not designed for mass visits. They must be protected, in particular by limiting access... So, it is necessary to sign up only well ahead before your visit!




TIP: Get an Art Nouveau Pass online and also get a map of Art Nouveau Walks

It offers you the possibility to do five Art Nouveau walks in Brussels on your own!  You will find information on emblematic buildings, on known or less known architects and on the various materials of Art Nouveau construction!

This was just a tiny excerpt from an upcoming book of Brussels gems. Stay tuned!


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Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Au Revoir Air Canada


 

OPEN LETTER to Michael Rousseau Air Canada CEO

Bonjour M. Rousseau,

I am a former commercial pilot, now turned travel writer, and also have been flying on hundreds of airliners for more than 50 years and I am now in my seventies. I can't imagine that you train your pursers to behave to your passengers this way, touching them inappropriately during a flight. At least I have never watched or experienced this by a female purser. 


Flight AC832 19:30 (YUL) to Brussels, arriving at 08:10 Tuesday 20 Jul 2021 - Seat 29D (28C on my boarding pass).

During this night flight, a male purser touched me inappropriately on my butt, in a humiliating, sexist, and chauvinistic way to tell me to buckle up. He could not know if or not I was buckled up as I had a blanket over me. I was sleeping after a very long day (about 19 hrs on my feet) and was glad to have a 3-seat row to stretch out. At around 11 pm (EST) I awoke when I felt hands on my body. 

Both his colleague and the customer service purser (head purser?) declined to tell me his name, but it was the older one of the two male pursers on this flight.

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However, this was not the first incident of this kind, I experienced the same on an Air Canada flight (which was on October 13, 2020). So, to me, it seems like it is either the same person or this behavior is "company policy". 


If a male passenger would do this to an Air Canada female purser, he would be arrested and charged, or the flight would be diverted and the person kicked out of the plane.


Why does the inappropriate behavior of your pursers have not consequences?  Why do female passengers have to endure this...?  His male colleague whom I asked for the name found it quite ok... And why is it that you know the names of your passengers, but the passengers may not know the names of your employees?


Why I won't fly in the future with Air Canada anymore? 

This was not a single incident, last month I wrote already to you when one of your call center's employee screamed and yelled at me on the phone. You never bothered to answer... And this after I waited for two hours until "Amalia" or "Amelie" answered my call. She also made an error in my booking that caused a disruption/confusion on my flight on July 19th from Montreal to Brussels. Only because I had my laptop with me and could prove that I had a flight confirmation and even an email that same day to check-in online, plus my Visa card receipt, could I catch that flight at the last moment. Sure enough, your Air Canada ground staff blamed me for the error until she saw the proof! And then she didn't even apologize!

Another female purser humiliated me on a March 18th, 2020, flight home from Frankfurt to Montreal. I had booked this flight long before the Covid lockdown. By chance, it was the second-last flight before Canada closed air traffic due to Covid, and it was fully packed. I sat on an aisle seat and a mask-less passenger across me was coughing the whole time. I got up and asked a purser if they can't do anything, like handing a mask to her as at my age I do not want to be infected with Covid.  The purser looked at me in a derogatory and arrogant way and said: "That's your own risk, why do you fly at all?" It sounded to me  "Why do you fly at all with Air Canada?"  Shortly after that, the passenger had suddenly a mask over her face. It was given to her by the same crew...  So, I am wondering why do you not train your staff how to behave towards customers. 

Instead of slighting me, the purser could have said: "I understand your concern, let's see if we have a spare mask for this passenger" or something like that. Why are Air Canada employees so mean, impolite, and vulgar toward  their passengers???


Money and Time Lost

Due to untrained/less knowledgeable Air Canada employees, I lost a lot of money and time. For example:  Last September a flight from Halifax, NS, to Frankfurt, Germany (with a stop in Montreal) in the evening was canceled and bounced to an early morning flight, taking off at 6 am in Halifax. At that time I was living 200 km from Halifax (in Antigonish) and no bus or train, or even a friend/relative would have been able to drive me at 2 am to Halifax to check in at 4 am. 


I called as I had booked for an evening flight and Air Canada had canceled it (NOT me!) - to offer to board in Montreal as I was there two days earlier. This way, Air Canada could have sold the morning flight to someone else and I could have boarded in Montreal. I talked with three different agents, and they all declined and said that I need to get a new ticket for a flight Montreal-Frankfurt and charged me an additional $160. Only later in Frankfurt, I learned at a German Air Canada service counter that it was not true and the evening flight cancelation was done by Air Canada and I should be reimbursed. 


On another transatlantic flight, arriving late morning in Montreal in March 2020, I was booked on a connecting flight to Halifax at 5 pm! I hang around at the airport and found out that there was a flight three hours earlier to Halifax, which was not even half booked. But it was too late! When I boarded and placed my small handbag into the overhead bin of this Montreal-Halifax flight, my fingers almost stuck: The handle was so filthy, it felt like it had not been cleaned for months. And this in times of Covid! It was just disgusting...


I Have Had Enough!

These are only a few examples of how I have been treated as a customer by Air Canada. My decision to avoid your airline in the future might not come as a surprise...  During the last two years, I had only one single positive experience when I met a very nice person from your company on the phone. The rest was only frustration, anger, and lost time/money. 

Please retire this chauvinistic purser from flight AC832 and spend some (or better a lot of ) money on customer service and training - instead of fat bonuses to CEOs.  After all, we are the customers who pay for this all - and want to be treated with respect and politeness.  I will warn everyone and tell my experiences with your companies' employees.  Word of mouth - or word of the mouse - is often mightier! 

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Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Visiting Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, TN

 


Finally, I made it to Tennessee on a long drive from Canada to the Panhandle of Florida. It was not easy to navigate to the small hamlet of Lynchburg, TN, and to find parking in their very dusty, unpaved parking lot. I couldn’t believe that about 275,000 people per year would tour the Jack Daniel's distillery. Where on earth are they all parking? 


I walked over with my dog Bentley to purchase my ticket.  Two employees stopped me.  I told them that this is a service dog and pointed to his badge.  No, they said, the dog is perfectly fine, but no one can enter carrying a handbag. I looked puzzled.  “But I need my small purse to have money and credit card handy!”  Their answer: “Please leave it in your trunk, and take only the money with you.”  Grumbling I walked back to my car and hid my handbag under the seat.  




I purchased a ticket for a tour including tasting.  Why I took this whiskey distillery tour?  And not only this one, but distilleries during my trip, everywhere I find one?  My mother owned a brandy distillery when I was a kid back in Europe.  So my interest is home-grown.  I am still mad at her that she let her license expire without telling me.  I would have loved to operate it in the third generation. 


The guided tour group strolled through the old brick buildings with the huge distillery equipment.  Bentley was a good boy and climbed the steep stairs to the upper part of the fabrication rooms.  I learned that the distillery also produces its own barrels — which are only used once and then sold. 

They also make their own charcoal in an old building nestled in a tree-shaded hollow.  Later, when we entered the tasting room, I “parked” Bentley in a corner from where he could see me.  We tasted four different whiskey types. Two whiskeys were too sweet for my liking, one was too harsh, the one that tasted best was the one that is longest produced at Jack Daniels.





Jack Daniels History

In the 1850s, when Daniel was an orphaned boy, he went to work for a preacher, grocer, and distiller named Dan Call.  That’s where he learned distilling from Mr. Call and distiller Nathan “Nearest” Green, a slave who continued to work for Call after emancipation.  He learned to make whiskey using the “sour mash” method and how to filter whiskey through charcoal, which was common at the time.  Other distillers would abandon the process for time and financial reasons, but it became a staple of Daniel’s final product. 

Daniel used his inheritance from his father’s estate to found a legally registered distilling business in 1875.  He purchased the hollow and land in 1884 where the Jack Daniel’s Distillery is still located today. Known as “Stillhouse Hollow” or “Jack Daniel’s Hollow”, the property includes a cave at the base of a limestone cliff. 




The funny thing was: Moore County, the home of the Jack Daniel Distillery, is still a ‘dry’ county to this day.  None of Jack Daniel’s whiskey may be sold or publicly drunken in Moore County.  State law provided one exception, however.  A distillery may sell one commemorative product from its gift shop. And this gift shop was stocked with Whiskey bottles from floor to ceiling.  People bought like crazy to bring home the famous product.  Me too : )


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Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Photo Impressions of South Tyrol - Alto Adige

 

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South Tyrol is the alpine pocket in the most northern part of is the country’s most wonderful best-kept secret.  Alpine traditions and the Mediterranean collide with influences from Italy, Austria, and Germany to create a wonderfully welcoming and enchanting destination for travelers.

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Visitors will find everything: from emerald alpine lakes, ski slopes, and quaint medieval towns to the Dolomite mountains, wineries, orchards, and fine restaurants.

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Traveling in the Dolomites however really does not really feel like traveling in Italy, more like Austria. The South Tirol identity: to live in Italy, but feel Austrian.  And the best: Most people speak the two languages, plus some English.

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The summer season technically really kicks from mid-to-late June, ramping up to its busiest month in August (the holy month of holidays for the Italians and French).  May and September offer a cooler 24° average temperature, which is perfect for hikes.  After all, it's a wine-growing area with a mild climate well into late October, early November.

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World-class hiking
Highlights of South Tyrol:
Lago di Braies & Lago di Carezza
Dramatic peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Exquisite wineries of Strada del Vino
Picturesque cities of Bolzano and Merano
Unique museums in Kronplatz, Bolzano, Merano or Bruneck



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Due to the various disputes over the region between Italy and Austria, and its position as a place of cultural and commercial exchange between distinct languages and cultures, both Italian and German are widely spoken in the Dolomites.
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Want to taste some of the best local wines? Check out what’s considered to be one of Italy’s top wine routes, the "Sudtirol Weinstrasse" (or “Wine Road”). 
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South Tyrol (Alto Adige) is divided into eight different districts. Bolzano (in German, “Bozen”) is the capital and largest town.  Fine food, such as "Speak", "Knoedel", and fine spirits can be found all over the place.  And certainly the many ice cream stores "gelaterias"...
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One could spend a year here doing various hiking trails, visiting each and every peak several times from different perspectives, staying at hidden refugios, cycling mountain passes, rock climbing, and still, there would be much left on your to-do list.
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Open in the summer season, some are very bare-bones rustic and basic whilst others are a little more like a basic hotel but, aside from a warm bed and good food for the night, they are usually situated in a beautiful setting too. 

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For photographers, early starts are absolutely essential for the best light, the best positions, and the best experiences.
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South Tyrol, Italy, is a haven for outdoor-lovers.



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The Dolomites and South Tyrol are a real bargain in comparison to the mountains of Switzerland.

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Backdropped by the Dolomites and Italian Alps, Italy’s South Tyrol—also known as Alto Adige—is a must-visit for travelers who love the outdoors.  In winter, South Tyrol is ideal for skiing and snowboarding.  In the summer, it’s perfect for those who love hiking and biking.

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Saturday, February 6, 2021

Photo Impressions of the Charming Village of Schmilka



Last February, I discovered Schmilka, a charming village 30km east of Dresden in the National Park "Saechsische Schweiz". A whole village is organic! In the middle of Germany's wild east, right next to the Saxon Switzerland National Park, is Schmilka, a district of Bad Schandau. 



From the other bank, the historic ferry "Lena" from 1927 crosses over. Schmilka can be reached by S-Bahn or train via Bad Schandau and then by a short bus trip - or via:


S-Bahn S1 von Dresden bis Schmilka Hirschmühle brings passengers at least once per hour to Schmilka Schmilka-Hirschmühle is a railway station on the Děčín–Dresden-Neustadt railway for the village of Schmilka, Saxony, Germany. The station is located across the Elbe river and can be reached from Schmilka by ferry.  The town may also be accessed on the regional bus services run by the OVPS. OVPS also operates the Kirnitzschtal tramway, a historic tram service that runs from the town center to the "Lichtenhain Waterfall". 

The Elbe Cycleway runs along the banks of the Elbe.



Once a mining and lumber town, and border village to the Czech Republic, looking pretty run-down during the Eastern Block, it became one of the prettiest places in the National Park thanks to a forward-looking investor who bought several heritage buildings and renovated those to their new glory.


The Schmilkaer Brauhaus has a restaurant, serving local cuisine.


Bio- und Nationalpark Refugium Schmilka
Boasting a spa & wellness center, a garden as well as a terrace, Bio- und Nationalpark Refugium Schmilka is set directly in the Saxon Switzerland National Park. 



Small half-timbered houses with quaint guesthouses crowd up the hill to the historic mill from 1665, where flour is still ground and traditional crafts are cultivated in the neighboring organic bakery and beer brewing manufactory.


Fine hotels and stylish vacation apartments are located in and around Schmilka.


It is not surprising that this place was awarded the title "Most beautiful village in Saxony".



The Winter Village Schmilka was also awarded as "Lighthouse of the Tourism Industry"
for its creative and sustainable concept.


For vacations in the middle of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, Schmilka is perfectly placed: directly on the Malerweg (Artists Path) and as an ideal starting point for hiking and climbing in the region. 


Mystical, quaint and cozy in winter, so colorful, fresh, and full of life in summer -
you simply have to experience this gem between village culture and nature.


Cycling and dozens of hiking paths can be enjoyed around Schmilka,
and a bicycle rental service is available.


The Ilmenbach stream drives the Schmilka Mill "Schmilksche Mühle" only a few meters
below the spring. Built in 1665, it is one of the first buildings in Schmilka.
The mill was closed in the 19th century. In 2007, however, the mill was restored
to a functional state again and visitors can purchase fresh-milled flour.  
Or get delicious fresh-baked goods just a few meters away



Schmilka is built among the huge rocks of the Saechsische Schweiz in a narrow valley.


Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options are certainly available. I asked the server to show me the vegetable quiche, and she presented this huge plate...



Comfortable chilling in this quiet spot after a long walk.



Schmilka on the Elbe river - as if fallen out of time... 

If possible, travel to the Saechsische Schweiz and Schmilka in late fall, winter or spring.


Read more (English and German):

https://www.instagram.com/biorefugiumschmilka/

https://www.inspirock.com/germany/bad-schandau/muehle-schmilka-a7264468525

https://www.organictraveller.de/organictraveller-schmilka

https://www.winter-sterne.de

https://www.schmilka.de/schmilka-historie

http://www.saechsische-schweiz.info/

http://hikersbay.com/europe/germany/hotel/de/winterdorf-schmilka.html?lang=en

https://www.cafe-richter-schmilka.de/cafe-richter

https://www.schmilka.de/home

https://www.airbnb.ca/s/Bad-Schandau--Germany/things-to-do/food-restaurants

https://meurers.net/2017/02/06/wintervillage-the-ecovillage-schmilka-during-the-cold-season/

https://www.happybiketours.com/data/tours/f6ac1c8b138f0fe277eae5d1952048b7.pdf

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