Day 1 - Cologne

Spent a sunny day in Cologne. After some shopping and some time in the sun the stressful time last week is almost forgotten about.

22 days, 11 cities

Bye Basel, see you again in 22 days. Off to Cologne for the day, Brussels tonight. I'll keep you posted ;)

Hart of Dixie and Rachel Bilson's clothing style

I absolutely looove the TV show "Hart of Dixie" starring Rachel Bilson. It might be exaggerated with the Southern attitude and all. But it definitely is great entertainment!
The second season just started and I'm already longing for every new episode just after having seen the latest.
But first things first: It's about a young doctor from New York (Rachel Bilson) who wanted to become a surgeon, but was advised to do a year of general medicine first. Fate brings her to the Southern town of Bluebell where she not only struggles with making herself at home there, but also gets into quite a bit of boy trouble. Doesn't that sound like a great thing to watch?
For all of those who are into fashion too, there's another reason to watch: Rachel Bilson or rather how she's dressed. (http://www.celebritystyleguide.com/c-1/tv-shows/hart-of-dixie/fashion-and-style-of-hart-of-dixie)
 However, we just have to admit that she looks amazing in anything she wears!

there's casual

or more business-like

the look for everyday

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Lately I seem to have been watching a lot of great movies. After "Les intouchables" yesterday, today it was an English jewel.
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" does not only have a list of amazing actors. It is witty (if you like the British humor) and colorful, but at the same time rather emotional and at times even incredibly sad.
To come back to the actors: the majority of the protagonists are well known and once you've watched the movie it also becomes clear why that's the case. Their appearance seems authentic and no matter what kind of a character they represent, you can't help but take them to your heart.
And of course, India as a setting breathtaking. It is not trashy and romantic like in many other examples. You get a very diverse picture. You see its colors, the smiling people, the beautiful landscape and temples, but also its poverty and some people's hopelessness. It seems to give a picture of the real India (although I must admit, I've never been and therefore can't really judge).
You may cry just to start laughing a moment later. It shows life with all its faces.

So that you actually know what the movie is about, here's the trailer:

some of France's finest cinema

There have been many different French movies that I liked. "Amélie", "Bienvenu chez les Ch'tis" or "L'auberge espagnole" would be movies one should have seen if interested in European cinema. Those are special, they have a very particular style, in terms of the story, the language, the humor...
But tonight I watched "Les intouchables", the story of a paralysed French aristrocrat tied to his wheelchair who hires a young black man from the banlieues (suburbs) to be his assistant. The movie has everything the others had too. But there is something else: a deeply emotional side. Contrary to what the title might suggest, I was very touched. It wasn't pity for the man in the wheelchair or for the guy coming from jail and getting a second chance. It was simply moving to watch them live their lives. It didn't even matter that I watched the movie in French and understood only about a third of their conversations. The director managed to keep the balance between the picture and the sometimes incredibly funny, but at times also rather profound dialog.

But see for yourself: Here's a sneak peek for you, the trailer of "Les intouchables".

music that I enjoy

Switzerland may not be famous for its musicians, but there definitely are some great ones around!

Eleanor by The Drops just makes you feel good. And those guys happen to come from my hometown Basle ;-)
They have their first record out, it's called Flying Dutchmen. Listen!

I must say, BOY are only half Swiss, but make great music nevertheless. On their album Mutual Friends there are some more melancholic pieces, but also some for a good mood.


I could go on, but that'll be it for now. Enjoy!

Hamburg in summer

It might sound crazy to visit the same city twice in one year, but Hamburg is definitely worth it. After having been there this February, my boyfriend and I decided we wanted to spend some days there again this summer. And we did.
For those of you who prefer hot, sunny days and the beach it might not be the right place to spend the summer. But for all the others: the days are long and the city glows!

 If you're up for a stroll through town, go to Altona. Just not before 11am, because most of the shops won't be open otherwise. And that would be a shame since there are a number of beautiful small shops like this one:

Walk around and keep your eyes open. For me, that's the best way to get a feeling of a city.

During our recent trip I also noticed that Hamburg is full of beautiful, green parks. You can walk for hours, going from one park to the next.
One that is particularly stunning is the old botanical garden, which is part of the Planten un Blomen park. It's perfect if you're looking for some silence. Although in the midst of the city, it's quiet and peaceful. There are chairs everywhere, so take a good book with you and just rest there for a while.

My third recommendation requires some good shoes: Take the S-Bahn to Blankenese, the wealthiest part of town, have a look around and then walk down to the Elbe. From there, you could walk all the way to the city center, but that might take you about 5 hours. We did about half and then took the bus back, which was enough for one day. If you're not up for walking, you can rent bikes, too.

However, whether in winter (when it's freezing) or in summer (when it's still not too hot), Hamburg is worth going to!