HOLLAND.FRIESLAND 30277] ’Local produce’.

HOLLAND.FRIESLAND 30277] ’Local produce’. Near a farm south of the village of Birdaard a cyclist inspects a cart with local produce. Payments can be put in an honesty box. Photo Mick Palarczyk.

[SWITZER.MITTEL 00836] 'Schaffhausen market.' Schaffhausen: flower market in the historical Vordergasse. Photo Paul Smit.

[VIETNAM.NORTH 21.502] ’Buying cloth.’ Flower H’mong women on the market of Bac Hà. Photo Mick Palarczyk

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27266] 'Mask shop at Kathmandu's Durbar Square.' The owner of a mask shop at Kathmandu's Durbar Square is looking from a window which is decorated with masks of Bhairava. The fierce looking Bhairava, god of annihilation and the march of time, is a popular subject for masks. He is thought to preside over cremation grounds, hence the garland of skulls around his head. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRIA.WIEN 04327] 'Vienna flair.' Many clichés about Vienna are true, but one has turned wrong: that Vienna is droll. After the fall of the Berlin Wall suddenly Vienna wasn't a provincal town at the edge of Europe anymore, but a metropole in its heart. The last ten years the rejuvenation has accelerated. Vienna has flair like in the old days! Photo Paul Smit

[AUSTRIA.WIEN 04326] 'Vienna flair.' Many clichés about Vienna are true, but one has turned wrong: that Vienna is droll. After the fall of the Berlin Wall suddenly Vienna wasn't a provincal town at the edge of Europe anymore, but a metropole in its heart. The last ten years the rejuvenation has accelerated. Vienna has flair like in the old days! Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRIA.WIEN 04320] 'Sachertorte in Konditorei Demel.' Vienna is known for its Konditoreien and Konditorei Demel for its Sachertorte, its historical interior and its high prices. Photo Paul Smit.

[FRANCE.COTEDAZUR 2631] 'Old town of Menton.' The influence of Liguria in Italy reverberates in everything, symbolised by the baroque church towering over the old town centre. But as the fresh 'baguettes' show Menton is part of France. Photo Paul Smit.

[FRANCE.PROVENCE 10879] ’Town Hall Square in Orange.’ Every thursday the streets of Orange are enlivened by a market. It meanders through the entire centre of the town, but the focus lies undoubtedly on the Town Hall Square with its typical French Hôtel de Ville. Photo Paul Smit.

[SWITZER.MITTEL 00834] 'Schaffhausen market.' Schaffhausen: flower market in the historical Vordergasse. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27270] 'Mask shop at Kathmandu's Durbar Square.' The window of a mask shop at Kathmandu's Durbar Square is decorated with masks of Bhairava. The fierce looking Bhairava, god of annihilation and the march of time, is a popular subject for masks. He is thought to preside over cremation grounds, hence the garland of skulls around his head. Photo Paul Smit.

[NEPAL.KATHMANDUVALLEY 27228] ’Shop at Swayambhu.’ The little boy, son of the shop owner and playing with a bronze duck, is not at all impressed by the fierce looking masks behind him. They are the masks of Bhairava, the Hindu god of annihilation and the march of time. He is thought to preside over cremation grounds, hence the garland of skulls around his head. The matalware and mask shop can be found near the Swayambhu stupa, west of Kathmandu. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRIA.NIEDER 03579] 'Buying the best ciders.' Between Enns and the Strudengau, behind the right shore of the Danube, lies the Mostviertel, the Cider Region. Most means cider as well as juice. Herber Most is cider, but forget about the dry apple beer as we know it. Herber Most is refreshingly acid with a velvety aftertaste, has no bubbles and is made for 2/3 from pears. Süßmost is the unfermented juice of both apples and pears. The best address for tasting and buying ciders is the Mostgalerie in Stift Ardagger. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRIA.NIEDER 03662] 'Shop of Kloster Und wine college.' The und in the name Krems-und-Stein has a second meaning. Once halfway both towns a monastery with the name Kloster Und could be found. Now it's a wine college, where you can learn everything about the juice of the grape. Moreover two large cellars invite you to tastings. But don't refrain from visiting the reknown winegrowers themselves (f.i. Weingut Jamek in Weißenkirchen) or the more down to earth Heurigen. Especially in the period of the Sturm (young wine, not yet completely fermented) the atmosphere is good there. By the way: all things are centered on white wine in the Wachau and Riesling has the biggest name. The winegrowers however think their Grüne Veltliner reaches the same level of excellence. Since it's not known from Tokyo to New York, you can find it for much better prices. Photo Paul Smit.

[AUSTRIA.NIEDER 03660] 'Shop of Kloster Und wine college.' The und in the name Krems-und-Stein has a second meaning. Once halfway both towns a monastery with the name Kloster Und could be found. Now it's a wine college, where you can learn everything about the juice of the grape. Moreover two large cellars invite you to tastings. But don't refrain from visiting the reknown winegrowers themselves (f.i. Weingut Jamek in Weißenkirchen) or the more down to earth Heurigen. Especially in the period of the Sturm (young wine, not yet completely fermented) the atmosphere is good there. By the way: all things are centered on white wine in the Wachau and Riesling has the biggest name. The winegrowers however think their Grüne Veltliner reaches the same level of excellence. Since it's not known from Tokyo to New York, you can find it for much better prices. Photo Paul Smit.