Airport trouble continues...

I have had all kind of experiences so far in many airports in Europe. Today was the wierdest I guess. After my laptop was screened at the security, I was asked to follow the woman police officer who said, she has to take me to a 'special room'. Wondering what I did this time, another officer gently checked my laptop, swipped a 'special' white paper (which of course turned black of all the dust I have been carrying for ages!) on the keyboard twice and after inserting that into a sophisticated machine ( at least looked like one for my lay eyes!) declared, " It's fine you can go".

While wondering what it was all about, he said, "Oh, we were looking for explosives!". Cool. Was it a random check? or Something turned up on the computer screen ( because of the heavy dust on laptop?) or just as most of the time, was I just showing my tendency to get into such unexpected troubles :)? I have no idea. Since the officer explained that his English isn't good enough to explain all my queries, I just took my flight to Copenhagen! All amused. Once again!

© GP Copenhagen

TBY Responsible Tourism networking at the ITB Berlin- 13 March 2009

The Blue Yonder (TBY) has been invited by ITB – Berlin to organise a networking evening to bring together Responsible Tourism initiatives across the world on the 13th March 2009. This was following the success of fringe events organised by TBY and its partner (Your Safe Planet –YSP) in relation with World Travel Market in London in the last two years. Both the events brought together individuals and organisations pursuing Responsible Tourism in destinations and markets.ITB Berlin is dedicating one day on Corporate Social Responsibility of the travel industry and is organising several workshops and conferences on CSR. The evening of 13th March will be providing a platform for Tour Operators, Grass Root organisations, Media, Policy makers and flag-bearers of Responsible Tourism to come together.

Media Partner for the RT Networking

“Being the leading travel show in the world, ITB provides a unique opportunity to learn and share from various RT initiatives across the world. The event will bring together those who are looking for promoting their RT products in the originating markets and those in the markets looking for genuine and unique products from the destinations. Considering the demand for such a gathering to learn and share, it is only natural for us to bring this event to ITB. The networking event will be organised in a way that attendees get an opportunity to present their initiatives to the gathering.”

The Blue Yonder is also organising a workshop focusing on Travel Philanthropy and Responsible Tourism prior to the RT networking event. The 45-minutes discussions and short workshop will be organised in association with Centre for Eco Tourism in Destinations (CESD), Go Philanthropic.om and Travel To Care. The session will be looking at various trends in Travel Philanthropy.

Date 13-03-2009
Venue Messe Berlin / Hall 4.1
Travel Philanthropy workshop 1700:1745
The Blue Yonder Responsible Tourism networking 1800:1930

Those who are interested in attending the event or present their initiatives in front of a gathering that understand Responsibility in Tourism, please contact itb@theblueyonder.com.

Keep yourself update on this page.
© GP 2009

Propeller Island City Lodge

one of the rooms we visited. This is the reading space, bed is above!
Sample this : "A room with a slanted floor which makes grandma's bed seem to fly. The wardrobe comes out of the wall, but table and chair have got to stay straight! In the rustic bathroom of natural stone you will find eggplant-coloured slate."

Sample another one:

"Definitely one of City Lodge's highlights. The diamand-shaped room is completely(!) laid out with mirrors and gives you the impression of living in a kaleidoscope. Caution: Very sexy!"

funky washroom!
The above are descriptions of rooms available in the Propeller Island City Lodge. If you think the above is crazy, then check this out : "In both coffins you can even slumber beneath closed lids! Exclusively connoisseur room for all those "Nosferatus" who cannot wait for that which awaits us all. Whosoever has second thoughts can creep to the bedplace below, safe within the labyrinth. Not only a unique experience for Gothic die-hards...an exquisite location on top of that!".

mood creator in every room. press the button and you are in the company of frogs and rains!

B had some of her friends staying in these lodges and the pictures are from the tour we did of the place. Bizzare is not the word. I could hear friends shouting, 'This is unbelievable!'. Yes it certainly was. Inspired by a book written by Jules Verne at the end of the nineteenth century which describes an artificial island that travels with its inhabitants around the world, German designer Lars Stroschen converted his humble guest rooms into a 'art installation hotel'.

Why waste so much money in the regular hotel rooms of Berlin, when you can sleep in such a place for 60 to 100 euros? Am not sure though, if I would want to sleep in a coffin. For the faint-hearted, there is a chicken curry (India!) inspired room. Check it out here:

Berlin © GP 2008

Redspective

"Recipe for something tasty:
1 Bucket of artist expression
1 Handful of brands we love
1 Tablespoon of eastern flavouring
2 Pinches of a Red past Bake briskly at high temperatures, and set to cool in the centre of Berlin."

This is 'Redspective': A designer shop in Berlin near Alexander Platz. Inspired the the history and nostalgia of the 'former Red East', this shop is now a sanctuary for East European illustrators and artists. Cynthia Carson, who spent considerable time away from her home in New Zealand learning Russian literature in Russia hit upon this idea with another German friend in last August.

Not sure if it was the nostalgia, but when I left the shop I couldn't buying a badge that was made in the 50's saying 'on the road' in Russian! I have it on my bag now. Really a cool souvenier to carry from Berlin.

More pictures posted on to my facebook album.

Berlin GP © 2008