Eva-Maria Mayring

Valencia is located on the east coast of Spain, directly on the Mediterranean Sea. It includes the three provinces of Castelleón and Alicante. The famous Costa Blanca also belongs to this region. The splendid city on the river Turia has well deserved its name Valencia, the strong one. Because the struggle with very frequent floods for centuries, was only ended in the 20th century.

Chicago! This impressive skyline with skyscrapers sometimes top modern or a little older belongs to the city of Chicago, which today has 2.8 million inhabitants and is the third largest city in the USA, in the state of Illinois. The founder of the former trading center was Jean-Baptiste Pointe Du Sable (1745-1818). He came from Quebec and established a trading post in 1833, which developed positively over time.

The view from 1,800 m above sea level has something peaceful, calming. In the gentle but cool mountain wind, the long, scrawny blades of grass spurned by the sheep tremble. From here, Katum Vranjak, you can see far over the bare mountain ranges to the horizon and feel the freedom. On the bumpy sheep pasture, which is also used by seven cows, there are scattered individual squat wooden huts.

How Spanish is Galicia? To this question you usually only get the oracular answer: very Spanish, just different. This makes us curious to discover the northwestern part of the Iberian Peninsula, its bubbling healing springs and the famous pilgrimage destination.

At five o'clock in the morning, it is still bitterly cold in the Gondwana Game Reserve, just under 140 km from Cape Town. Although November is known to bring spring in South Africa. We put on our ski underwear under our jeans and slip into thick wool sweaters. But the anticipation and curiosity about the upcoming game drive with Ranger Delicious from Zimbabwe makes up for everything.

The ban on chewing gum and the spotless streets still apply in Singapore, but the lively tropical city has rejuvenated itself in recent years. The first night in the Asian metropolis between Malaysia and Indonesia, who thinks of sleeping when a boat tour on the Singapore River promises a glittering world at night.