Tag Archives: alcohol
One Hundred Years Ago, Sweden almost gave up on Booze – August 1922: Prohibition Referendum
Zur deutschen Fassung. Before I went to Sweden last summer, I received a lot of well-meaning advice from friends in Germany who had already been to Scandinavia: “Take enough beer with you, it’s prohibitively expensive in Sweden!” “As an EU … Continue reading
One Hundred Years Ago, Alcohol secured World Peace – June 1921: Åland
Zur deutschen Fassung dieser Geschichtsstunde. Where Hannibal once took his elephant for a walk, now the highways are crossing the Alps. Where the Romans no longer felt like expanding and built a wall to keep the neighbors out, today the … Continue reading
Venta Micena – Day 18/30
As you saw yesterday, the bar in Venta Micena is dry. So I had to walk ten kilometers to Orce to get something to drink. (Just because some of you had asked me to test the local swill.) Well, I … Continue reading
Random Thoughts (5)
When Donald Trump praises his pick for Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis, as “the closest thing to General George Patton we have”, does he refer to the mistreatment of soldiers or to Patton’s antisemitism? After my story about the Peruvian girl, … Continue reading
The worst year for human health
1492 must have been the worst year for human health. Latin Americans got deadly diseases, alcohol and bacon. Europeans got diarrhea, chocolate and tobacco.
Only vote while sober, please!
When I stepped into the convenience store on Avenida America in Cochabamba, I noticed something strange. A large section of the shop was cordoned off with black linen. It was the alcohol section. “What happened?” I asked the shopkeeper, “Did … Continue reading
The safest time to travel to Africa? Marula season!
If you have been putting off your trip to Africa because you are afraid of aggressive and large animals like elephants, lions, gnus, hippos or giraffes running you over, here’s a solution for you: Go in summer when the marula fruit … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 