Japan is the place where my long lasting certainties were totally demolished.
Tokyo is one of the most highly populated towns in the world, and it was silent. There were very few cars in the street, and people were walking everywhere.
Coming from a place where traditions are more and more being set aside and there is an integration of technology and innovation in each aspect of everyday life, it was surprising to see how Japan is able to balance those two aspects: in his run into the modernity are always visible the signs of his traditional culture.
In northern Norway winter comes with darkness: the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon for 2 months, a long period called “Polar night”. During this time the day might be “bright”, but never “sunny”.
Around Tromso I’ve found out that the darkness is full of colour. The shadows of the sky, reflected by the snow, completely change the landscapes. In the darkness colours might be bright, and the light of the moon is often giving the feeling that the sun is shining on a winter silent desert.
Every 21st of January (if the weather is good), when the sun finally rises again above the horizon for a few minutes, everyone welcomes it back with lots of joy.
Nine pearls, where humans, nature and wildlife live together in a great balance.
Coming from a country where the traffic turns crazy with a light rain, I grew up postponing each duty to the next sunny day, which 99% of the time was tomorrow.
London was rainy but crowded everyday. People here were not scared by the bad weather. One day, all of a sudden, the secret of life was disclosed to me: there is no bad weather, there are only bad clothes.
Amsterdam Noord is an attractive neighbourhood on the north side of the IJ river, a former industrial district. Besides the number of bikes riding all around, it doesn’t match the canonic idea of Amsterdam one could have. This is probably the reason why I’ve found it so fascinating.
On this side of the city there is the NDSM, one-time a shipbuilding and repair company, today an amazing creative, artistic spot.
