tranquilo
Cubans are a multi-ethnic nation with roots mainly from Europe and Africa. The island’s inhabitants spend much of their time outdoors, often sitting directly on the street, observing urban life, and chatting with neighbors. The elderly rock in their chairs, the kids play baseball or participate in boxing training, and the youth practice tricks on their skateboards.
Life in Cuba moves at a leisurely pace. 'Tranquilo’ (calmly), as the Cubans like to say.
Cuba is a beautiful country with beautiful people; people who laugh even when life is not easy
Ernest Hemingway
Kuba 2024
The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only paradise we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need, if only we had the eyes to see
Edward Abbey, „Desert Solitaire”
Mongolia 2024
nomadland
Nomadland is a story about the nomadic life that has shaped the culture and identity of Mongolia for centuries. This harsh yet beautiful country, with its vast steppes, mountains, and the Gobi Desert, has always been home to nomadic communities. Nomadism here is not just a lifestyle but a means of survival in difficult conditions and an expression of a deep connection between humans and nature
Mongolian nomadic tradition is reflected in events such as Danshig Naadam – a festival of three disciplines: archery, wrestling, and horse racing. However, Naadam is not just a sports competition; it is also a religious event, combined with Buddhist ceremonies and traditional Tsam dances. After years of Buddhist repression by communist authorities, this festival has been revived, and today, it is once again presided over by lamas
tihar
Tihar reminds us of people. Each day of this festival tells a story about connection – with nature, animals, and loved ones. Alone, we are like a single lamp in the darkness, easy to extinguish. Together, we create light, like a city illuminated by thousands of lamps, pushing back the darkness
nepal 2023
We are human only in relation to other humans.
We need each other to be all that we can be.
Desmond Tutu
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated
Confucius
no rush
Each of the islands is different, unique, and fascinating, just like their inhabitants. There is no „typical” resident of these islands – some live here, others in the diaspora, supporting their loved ones and yearning for home. This insatiable longing, sodade, is reflected in their morna music, which, thanks to Cesária Évora, has become a symbol of their soul.
Life here is morabeza – an intangible hospitality and warmth, their vitality and great openness that must be felt to be understood. On the islands, time flows differently – more peacefully, more slowly. Even when things don’t go as planned, the residents smile and say, „No stress.” The Cape Verde Islands resemble people, but only those who know that life is not a watch, but a moment, a breath, and another person.
cabo verde |2020