Cappuccino Challenge

I have never liked Starbucks. From the first time I've had a coffee there I have been unable to feel any appreciation for their coffee and hence have abstained from having it for a long time. However, not wanting to be labeled biased or perhaps even fundamentalist today I have given it another another try. As I had some time on my hands before meeting a few friends I first had a cappuccino at my preferred coffee outlet, Coffee Heaven followed by a cappuccino at Starbucks (which was conveniently on the way). 

How Are You Today?

Am currently reading "The Idea of Justice" by Amartya Sen which provides interesting insights on the theories of justice, fairness and the concept of reasoning but also touches upon other subjects such as linguistics like in the - quite amusing - excerpt I'd like to share with my readers today:

Back & Posting

No posts, no pictures, delayed flights, trains and lost baggage is what summarises the unpleasant events of the last week.

With almost all outbound flights from Wroclaw cancelled due to heavy fog on 23 December I eventually managed to get 'home' after 15 hours, driving to Dresden, flying to Frankfurt, taking one long distance, one suburban train and an finally an additional cab. On top of that Lufthansa lost my bag on the flight and only managed to deliver it after almost four days.

Deicing Xmas

As christmas is just a few days away I am sure many of you are doing some last minute shopping and those of you who like me live away from family travel back 'home'. Now it seems that - at least in Western and Central Europe - this journey might be seriously affected if not interrupted by the severe winter and snow storms we have been experiencing over the last few days. The two largest European airports, London and Frankfurt, were forced to shut down flight operations for some time  earlier this week disrupting not only local, but equally international air travel - bringing back memories of the day-long closure of European air space during April this year.

 The latest message on the Lufthansa website reads:

Walled

Is there anything, anyone

That can touch you

 

For more than a moment

Is there anything, anyone

That will help you

Being able to love?

Shopping Mall

Side entrance of one of the malls here in Wrocław.

  

... at minus twenty °C!

Not in shopping mood ...

Memonji

From Science To Fiction

Do you remember the movie Star Wars The Phantom Menace (Episode I)? If you do you probably also remember Natalie Portman portraying one of the main characters Queen Amidala. But do you also remember that Queen Amidala traveled incognito disguised as Padmé and that the 'other queen' was just a decoy queen?

Long story short: this decoy queen was played by the then 16 year-old and by now best paid Hollywood actress Keira Knightley.

Much Ado About Nothing (Much)

No matter which news channel or web page you turn to the publishing of internal and partly classified cables from and to U.S.diplomatic missions by the website Wikileaks has been occupying the headlines for the last 10 days or so. Wikileak's founder Julian Assange - now in British custody over alleged sexual harassment charges in Sweden - has since been labeled both 'high tech terrorist' (by e.g. U.S. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell) as well as modern 'hero who should be awarded the Nobel Peace Price' (Russian news agency RIA Novosti quoting the Kremlin).

Top Of The Chocs

Today I am continuing my series of chocolate reviews (see here and here) with a - at least to me - rather new discovery. During one of my most recent trips to Berlin I visited the chocolaterie of my choice and pampered myself with both old time favourites as well as new interesting delights.

Having tasted their 70% Toscano Black I hold the small chocolate manufacturer Amedei in very high esteem and hence did not hesitate to try out one of their blended chocolates called "9".

Wrocław Impressions

Being back from Norway I had some friends from G. coming over for the weekend. While taking a walk through the inner city we realised that it was in fact way too cold to be outside and quickly sought the cosiness of a nice downtown restaurant for a late lunch ;)

Nevertheless I still managed to take a few pictures:

Oslo in 18 Hours

Just returned from a super short trip to Oslo where Gilly Mellowbridge and I attended the farewell concert of a-ha. As we had only a few hours between arrival and the beginning of the show we used them to take a quick stroll through the city, to the harbour as well as to grab a bite.

Here a few pictures I managed to click:

View of the city from our hotel room

Welcome White Winter!

Now it's obvious (although the calendar might not make it official until in three weeks): winter has started! 

Have just taken these pictures with my phone camera while taking a walk in a park today afternoon.

Politics, Weather & Personal News

India's parliament is locked in a stalemate with parliamentary business impossible to conduct due to the oppositions insistence on (and the governemnt's reluctance to agree to) an official probe into one of the country's largest corruption scandals.

In the wake of the upcoming publication of confidential US documents the website Wikileaks has been unavailable for some time now (check out their Twitter account for latest updates)

The two Koreas continue to exchange not only unpleasantries, but also several rounds of fire. Whether the heated atmosphere is a prequel to another round of talks or seriously bringing us back to an armed conflict in the region remains to be seen.

With the beginning of advent winter has finally made it to Central Europe bringing us a first glimpse of snow. It's high time for your host to get a warmer coat!

Finally, on a more personal note, am excited of leaving to Norway in a few days to attend the farewell concert of the favourite band of my childhood, a-ha,  live in Oslo.

Nevertheless a good start into the new week ... from
Memonji

Traveller's Note

 

"Love's a train ride.

It's more important to be at the right time at the right place

Than to have a ticket."

 

Just read by ...

Memonji

Swiss Surprise

Readers of my old entries from 2007 will remember my first chocolate post in which I promised to publish regular reviews of interesting and taste-worthy delicacies from the chocolate world. 

With a few years delay I have now decided to continue this series and would like to draw your attention to a chocolate which origins have surprised me as I have been a big and loyal fan of chocolates from Belgium, France as well as Italy and Läderach's Hazelnut chocolate is Swiss.