Aqua Alta

I love Venice!

Since I visited it I watch every documentary about the hazards of future floods. Seems like the current flood is almost what they expected and need MOSE for. If it will finally be quick enough...

Adrian Michaels of The Telegraph has the most usefuls tips if you happen to be stuck in Venice during Aqua Alta

and here is the official weather and tide forecast for Venice. Even though it's dangerous - I wish I was there!

By the way, this is what St. Mark's looks like during low tide:

25 gegen 20 Millionen

Also ich habe jetzt immer eine Tafel Schokolade und Mandeln und Nüsse in der Tasche, just in case:

Analyse der Taktik der Terroristen in Mumbay auf SPIEGEL ONLINE

Lessons in policy. Lesson One: Stubbornness

"I have no recipe except one in politics: to continue, to continue, to be obstinate, to be obstinate, to never abandon an issue as long as there remains a small shred of hope."

The new French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bernard Kouchner in an interview with the New York Times.

Also remarkable: The portrait on BBC News.

Useful info about the Babelfish

Something I didn't know about Babel Fish until now:

It's very good translating Spanish into English - but you can forget about most of the "other way around". And German is crap.

Visit Hamburg! It's really nice ;-)

Already plans for your summer holidays? Come to Hamburg!

I really like the Guardian - because of it's British-ness, because of the political analysis - but I hope they are based on a more thorough research than this travel guide to Hamburg: Hamburg | Travel | Guardian Unlimited

And no, I don't mean the fact that it's from last year with lots of plans for last year's Football Championships, but it already starts with the wrong legend to the picture - which is not the harbour but the Lake. Nevertheless, here's the links to the two best cheap accomodations:

• Instant Sleep, a backpackers' hostel about 10 minutes to St. Pauli, near the area called "Schanze"
• Jugendherberge Am Stintfang is a member of the International Youth Hostel Federation - and the best place to stay in Hamburg at all, with a beautiful view over the Harbour. The page is only in German, but you'll get the main point. And they'll answer mails in English ;-)

Read more about them in the Backpackers Network! And enjoy your stay!

Watching Mount St. Helens once more

Since there was recent "volcano activity" two days ago it's already very interesting and rewarding again to watch the Mount St. Helens VolcanoCam. Maybe it's a bit of weird Zen - I have the window open most of the time while I am doing completely different things on my computer, reading or whatever - and every now and then I'll watch what the vulcano does...