Tag Archive for Olympus

Atlantic Amusements, Ireland

Bike parked in front of shuttered amusement arcade, rusty signage and totally realistic clouds in background.

The first ride in what feels like a month of lifetimes finds me heading west to Ireland, dusting off the trusty GS in order to explore the Wild Atlantic Way. Reason for the trip? Just fancied a ride worth strapping the panniers on for now that the racing’s done, and Dublin’s almost £200 cheaper by boat than Liverpool. Time for something new.

REIMAHG facility, Thüringen

Black and white image of a rusting mining trolley disappearing into long grass

On a recent visit to Germany I was pointed in the direction of an interesting third reich ruin: the REIMAHG facility near Kahla. Like nearby Lehesten, this was another case of the Nazis using forced labour to construct technologically advanced weapons towards the end of the war, imposing tremendous cruelty and suffering on their captive slaves in the process.

Walter’s Winter Wonderland

Fish-eye view of hotel entrance and a large, frosty plant

The former holiday retreat of East Germany’s great granddaddy and the man who built the Berlin Wall lies in ruins just meters from a famous winter sports track, yet it’s history is far from benign, testament that when it comes to greed, corruption, misappropriation of public funds and even murder, capitalism has plenty of competition from the East. What better way to break up the drive through Winter Wonderland?

Costa Brava Cruising, Spain

A cheap golden filter effect attempts to cheer an otherwise unremarkable sunset over a canal in Spain.

Empuriabrava. Sounds like a special edition Fiat, feels like Southend on an August bank holiday. Only it’s the end of the season and most holiday homes are empty, the streets dead except for the occasional pill-popper and bar-hopper making their way home,…

Slumming it in the South of France

Two candles, some bottles of wine, and a cooker wait on picnic table

At the start of this trip I imagined I’d be posting updates and pictures with the usual frequency, if not daily then certainly every couple of days. Turns out that travelling with somebody new has all sorts of unexpected but…

Chamonix via the Auvergne

Silhouette of two campers in front of lit up tent, bikes to one side.

Gimme Shelter on the portable speaker mixes with the cheering of a soggy crowd through the open window as a new wave of runners cross the finishing line, and for a moment it sounds as though The Stones are playing…

Tempelhof Airport, Berlin

People play, cycle, and relax with BBQs at the end of runway 09R

When Albert Speer, Architect of the Third Reich, drew plans for Hitler’s »Welthauptstadt« he had no idea he was about to create a collection of time capsules on par with those of London, Paris, or Rome – cities whose historical significance he sought to eclipse by creating a new World Capital. And they say Germans have no sense of irony …

Bajan Helicopters, Barbados

A white and blue helicopter is being refuelled on a sunny helipad under a blue sky

Another fascinating tale of Caribbean corruption, studded with gallery-class photos and backed up by dozens of creditable sources? Hardly. Just another sad story of a once thriving business now gathering turds and weeds in one of the world’s most popular holiday capitals. Probably safe to say this one’s off the cruise tourist circuit.

Stasi Correctional Facility, Hohenschönhausen

A concrete watchtower stands behind a concrete wall on the corner of a residential street

In 1960 my grandfather was abducted by Communist secret police for speaking out against the state. Locked away in a correctional facility that didn’t exist, in a district that wasn’t on any maps, regular people who gave voice to popular opinion were methodically tortured and in some cases killed by civil servants in the name of democracy. Fast-forward 53 years and I’m standing in a cell with my camera, trying not to believe what a former inmate is trying to tell me.