This is what it should look like. March 2008.

This is what is does look like. March 2010.

But I’m not complaining really. Apart from a minor storm going on outside I can work comfortably from my room and then take the shuttle to the mall. And hey. I’m in Vancouver and this is the place I feel the most Japanese I possible can outside of Japan.

After some days in the desert basically it was a nice change to from brown to blue, from closed to open. And boy has the winter left Seattle and taken out some spring for us to enjoy. It’s so nice to be back and to see all the world colleagues get together.

Classic Seattle skyline.

Sunset over the Olympic mountains.

It looks as if I’m in Richland, WA. Because I woke up to this view 06.30 today and noticed how still the Columbia River was outside.

We’re here to visit a partner, the company’s technician and I. Get a tour around their facilities with the other international distributors. And tonight my very first all American…wait for it….charity dinner! I suppose I can die comfortably now. Knowing I’ve done it all.

The ever so fascinating thing about Washington state is the transformation of scenery after crossing the Cascade mountains. It’s spectacular to leave the busy city, drive through the snowy top Cascades and suddenly exit in desertlike steppe landscape where wine farms are all around. Less than 2,5 hours from Emerald City.

I did this by myself last summer in an old Volvo 940 Automatic. Hanging out of the window like a happy dog I cruised Yakima valley for the great red gold.

Tomorrow we leave for some days in Seattle and I’m really looking forward to visiting one of my favorite cities again.

Take care.

The Toren Hotel. A place with true character reached after traffic jams, rain and dodging Dutch bicyclers.

If you’re tired of uncharming hotel chains and in need for some really valuable service from the hotel staff this is a true find. And if you appreciate little surprises like in-room espresso machines and iPod docks you’ll be well off here. I’m just happy there’s a bathtub.

Goodnight from Amsterdam and see you soon in Göteborg.

I’m still struggling with the lighting panels in my room. There’s this master panel at the bed that controls all the lights: bedside, wake-up, TV, entrance, reading and on it goes. Not a single one of these switches work the way you’d think. I mean I love the idea of being half asleep and turn off all the lights in the room with one press of the button. But there’s no reading light that works so I have to turn on ALL lights in order to read at all.

After checking in yesterday I was certain that they’d given me the wrong room. I thought I had gotten Dayenne and Yessikas room and felt embarrassed by reading their little, intimate welcome card.

I was about to call the reception when I read a little further. It was a welcome message not to Dayenne and Yessika but from them both, being responsible for the house keeping.

I’m can be such a n00b sometimes.

Tempelhof airport, Berlin. 1923-2008.

The birthplace of Lufthansa in 1926. The main building ordered by Albert Speer in 1934. One of the worlds 20 largest buildings. With the worlds smallest duty free shop.

A huge, deserted airport in the middle of the capital of Germany? I just had to go and feel the time stand still.

The images of the terminal building miss details such as waiting areas, the small duty free shop and other interior but can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TempelhofInterior.jpg

Terminal building. Missing is the waiting area and duty free shop.


Left: From the roof toop, the hangar area.
Middle: Main entrance.
Right: Unfinished ballroom (if I recall correctly)

Check-in counters, right. Departures, straight ahead. Above, restaurant.

Left to right: Gymnasium built by Americans 1945. Boiling room. Terminal.


Burnt out bunkers for film storage.

I read the above on an outside poster of a supermarket. And no. I never said German was a beautiful and poetic language.

Regardless though Berlin serves me not only great Turkish lamb kebabs and superb chipotle burgers at Room 77 it also provides a brief stop in time at Würgeengel, a classic cocktail bar that instantly takes you back some 60 years. The atmosphere, the interior and the bartender with perfect manners and crisp white shirt serves among the best classic cocktails this side of earth. For 8 Euros.

Apparently according to our personal guides in the capital of Germany the name of the bar derives from a movie which name I have already forgotten. Anyone?

Until then, some visuals of the drinks enjoyed.

The little kiosk on the next block is still open. They didn’t carry any double cream. I went with condensed milk for my eggnog instead, in my drink app referred to as “healthy”. With half a bottle of bourbon in it? Ah well.

Meatballs, both traditional and those with chili and ginger has been made from scratch. As has mumma. Musically rounded off with some homemade Swedish cumbia music performed live at the dinner table as an alternative to the traditional dram songs.

Now some are playing chess on the floor. The result of an earlier gift exchange. Others are typing on keyboards.

The wooden floor is hard and the night still young in Berlin.

Happy Christmas.

I’m getting childishly exited about these interviews whenever I get the email back with all the answers. This months frequent flyer is a guy I’ve never met but I’ve been reading his eminent blog for years. The digital place where he turns customers services inside out and report with humor and warmth about little daily stuff going on being a father, husband and a world citizen.

Who knows. Some day I might bump into him at one of his favorite airports.

Until then, thanks for sharing K and letting Monologuer get a sneak peak into your world itinerary.

Name: Patrick Stahl aka Konsultpappan
Based out of: Malmö, Sweden
Travel mostly in (Europe/Asia/North America/South America/Africa/Middle East/All of the above)
All of the above
Occupation: Leadership Consultant

1) Favorite destination all times?
Barcelona. Hands down - never get tired of that city.

2) Favorite airline/airport (and why)
KLM has the best Economy Class service. Scandinavian the best Premium Economy service - and Lufthansa really kicks ass in Business Class.

Well - actually I don’t like airports. BUT - I like Schiphol airport, because I know that the Dutch woman selling tulips there speaks Swedish. I like the seafood bar in Brussels, and Bangkok’s international airport for the massages there.

3) Favorite seat location?
Front/Window for long haul - I have a big bladder and a need for sleep.
Front/Aisle for short haul - I want to exit fast when I have only carry-on luggage.

4) Preferred aircraft model?
I actually don’t like flying, but I want the planes to be modern and jets. No turboprop or old wrecks.

5) Worst nightmare flight?
Any number of flights within Russia…. One where my seat didn’t have a back. One where the co-pilot laughed and sounded super drunk over the intercom. One where the guy next to me threw up from the booze. I looooove Aeroflot.

6) 3 things you always bring in your carry-on?
Xinix (if you are not sure about the water/salad/food - it’s your best friend in a drop vial). Actually I always bring a small pharmacy in my carry-on. I don’t want to stand in the middle of a jungle trying to find a place that hawks penicillin ripoffs. I can deal with anything up to a minor bone fracture in the field.

Lots of backup Dollars/Euro in 20:ies bills (a language spoken in ALL countries if you need help fast).

My Doberman mobility alarm. If I have to sleep in a chair at an airport - I activate it. If someone takes my luggage all hell breaks loose. A lovely device - 15 Euros at Schiphol airport.

7) Are you the chatter or chatee with your neighbor?
Actually - I often pretend not to speak the language. I am good at faking accents, so I sometimes say in a really heavy Russian accent that “Sorry - not speak the English. Is Russian. Sorry.” I should be ashamed of this, but it just works so damn well.

8) Easy sleeper on flights, yes/no?
I am like the dogs of Pavlov. When they start pointing out the emergency exits - I go lights out.

9) The flight is delayed. What do you do to ease the wait?
I always bring extra computer batteries and my computer is loaded with 100-150 films/episodes I want to see. I can watch 10-12 hrs of Lost/24/whatever without having to recharge.

10) What do you always order when the pre-meal beverage cart comes?
Short haul - nothing.
Long haul in the evening - a Bloody Mary. Always.

as always. Danish pølse, smørrebrød, great bistro, Tuborg, fantastic cocktails. And with the right sublime company a short weekend feels long, wonderful and relaxing.

Where I don’t go I’m inspired by friends who do. Dahuang Xu, currently residing in Taiwan travels a lot in Asia. These are his colors of Cambodia and his story.

by Dahuang Xu.

Photos by Dahuang Xu.

Learn more about Cambodia here: http://www.mot.gov.kh/

Frequent Flyer 10 questions is a Monologuer initiative to pick frequent travelers brains. Something I always wanted to do. Julianna is first out. I know few people who travel as much as her but since it’s as much routine for her as our first morning coffee she had to think a bit to break her daily routines into answers. Let’s hear it!

Name: Julianna
Based out of: Budapest, Hungary
Travel mostly in: Mostly Europe, but 4-5 times a year other continents
Occupation: rehab engineer, currently doing sales, marketing, education, and giving great insight for product development

1) Favorite destination all times?
No such thing. Love it all. Prefer something new every time.

2) Favorite airline/airport?
Maybe Schipol, Amsterdam. Easy way around, not too much walking, enough shopping, and history with the Cone café – many years of first morning cappuccinos after intercontinental redeyes.

3) Favorite seat location?
Definitely aisle. No exit row, no front row, - hate long legroom. No row immediately before exit, no last row – need to be able to recline. Not the one before the last – people behind you will complain if you recline and they can not. Prefer towards the back – if plane not filled, higher chances of getting 3 seats to lay down. Early loading to put luggage in overhead. But if short connection, sit in front.

4) Preferred aircraft model?
Nothing really. Small planes of 2+1 seat configuration provide the highest, 66.6% chance of getting an aisle seat.

5) Worst nightmare flight?
Orlando to NY, Jetblue. Got on an earlier flight which had mechanical problem. Original went, ours stayed. From 4pm proposed, we took off at 12 midnight. Then emergency landing in North Carolina due to one passenger thinking he had a heart attack. At the end, 5 am at home. Many other times delayed overnight, but in this case we had to stay there during the whole delay.

6) 3 things you always bring in your carry-on?
Cellphone charger. Something to read or keep myself occupied with. Extra pair of shoes.

7) Are you the chatter or chatee with your neighbor?
No way. Please leave me alone. Usually either still asleep, or already tired, or have my head full of work. But polite and friendly if my neighbor is insistent.

8) Easy sleeper on flights, yes/no?
Yes, unless something unusually exciting occupies my mind.

9) The flight is delayed. What do you do to ease the wait?
Short delay – stay by gate and get emails done. 1 hr delay – get a drink at the bar. Over 1 hour – first shopping, then bar combined with emails.

10) What do you always order when the pre-meal beverage cart comes?
Morning and want to sleep – sparkling water. Morning and hungry – tomato juice. After work on way home – definitely some red wine.

Amongst colorful new wheelschairs, pinball games and German wurst und bier I fit in my meetings, browse and catch up with my friends and colleagues from far far away. As always there’s no time for play and after a four hour nights sleep, a three hour flight, a seven hour work day and a two hour mingle I’m pretty much beat.

Tomorrow offers a similar schedule but the upside is something slightly unexpected, taking place tomorrow morning in the hotel restaurant.

I. Will have. Breakfast.

But…wait for it…not a regular breaky mind you. Japanese. Breakfast.

The only breakfast I can eat regardless of sleep quality, mood and hunger. How great is that! Haven’t had it in…years. So yes, it is indeed a treat and something to look forward to.

Goodnight, lights out from Ddorf.

Image from Wikipedia.

I like Düsseldorf. It’s a cute city holding the best international exhibition in our little niche business. http://www.rehacare.de/

This is also the time where I rehearse the details on international greetings. Here my little memorandum.

One hand with most
Kiss twice with FR-IT-ES
Three with the Swiss
Not to mention the Dutch.
Hugs on hugging terms,
Plus one cheek kiss with the Brits.

If the three shows in September didn’t cause H1N1 on me it’s now or never.
I guess. Hope never.

A day at the beach was the perfect way to end the New York experience. We chatted with a local from Brooklyn, Anthony, flying his kite here since he was a kid. Coney Island was also filled with jewish people celebrating their Hoshana Rabbah and a day off. We celebrated with a soft ice and a long walk in the sun and light breeze. Thank you New York for having us. See you soon again, we have a lot of things still to see, do and eat.

And if I’d ever believe in fortune cookies it would be the ones from tonights dinner in Chinatown.