As the pandemic is starting to lighten its grip for some areas in the world, many armchair travelers such as myself smell the morning air once again (does it smell of jet fuel?). One of the most interesting places I’ve visited in recent years is Cape Town. Few cities has such a alluring combination of beautiful surroundings, exciting food and lots of history. It’s called the Mother City for a reason.
Today it’s been 20 years since one of the most disruptive events in modern history. The world was so different back then. There was a lot of optimism in the air after the Millennium, but also a lot of activity. Changes were brewing, people were discussing No Logo by Naomi Klein and having riots against George W Bush while bubblegum artists such as Britney Spears dominated the charts.
Travel series used to be all about visiting the big landmarks and repeating stuff that’s on the backside of every guidebook. Moving on from Michael Palin and Ian Wright, a new standard for travel-related content was set by Anthony Bourdain as he was filling the screen with ordinary people and telling their story instead of showing the same old tired monuments.
The renowned Spanish artist Jaume Plensa has been active for decades, creating art in the public space which really catches the eye.
These are icy isolation times in Gothenburg. The temperature has been freezing for weeks and the pandemic threat of covid-19 is looming over us all. As the days grew darker during the autumn and the dreaded “second wave” was hitting the rusty shores like a ton of bricks, one could still see people on the streets.
