Minor Detail: Vienna in Early 2017, Pt. 1
Fragments captured while walking the city on the short days of late winter and early spring.
Warsaw on the Waterfront
The Vistula is a wild and largely untamed river flowing through Poland’s capital city. Although the old town is located close to the water on a hillside, the proper city center is far away. The surroundings of the Vistula consist primarily of more or less wild greens. At some arms of the river, you’ll find apartment buildings, too, similar to the Alte Donau area in Vienna. There are some sandy parts as well which are flooded with people in summer. The sunsets are indeed gorgeous there.
Travelling Istria
Today, mostly part of Croatia, the Istrian peninsula was known for its beauty and fertility in ancient times. Traveling around, you’ll discover Venetian architecture, green landscapes, and deep blue beaches. It is the Mediterranean through and through, with friendly people and good food. It is a place worth to learn.
The Bone Chapel
The Bone Chapel in Kutna Chora, Czech Republic, can genuinely be a frighting place for some people. It is a Catholic church in a small town just one hour away from Prague with a very particular interior. The remains of 40,000 to 70,000 people decorate this chapel. Like in a Castlevania game, there is an enormous chandelier of bones, which contains at least one of every bone in the human body; there is also a coat of arms made out of human remains and many other oddities. Come down with me and look at this extraordinary place – but beware of the walking skeletons!
Tokyo After Dusk
Tokyo changes its form after the sun sets and the electric lights turn on. While during the day, the seemingly endless sea of concrete and glass is roamed by people, it gets surprisingly quiet by night. Unlike New York or other world capitals, Tokyo generally sleeps at night. Japanese people work a lot, and additional office hours are standard, so sleep is highly valued. Hard to believe, but even the sprawling subway system is shutting down service for nighttime so it can be cleaned and maintained for the upcoming day. Of course, there are exceptions, as no city with the size and proportions of Tokyo can genuinely go to bed. Like in a fever dream, people continue playing and gambling in places like Akihabara’s entertainment district or go to Izakayas, a Japanese pub, to meet people, eat, and drink. And, of course, the lights illuminate Tokyo’s allies and streets, bringing day into the night.
Tokyo 2
The inherent beauty of Japan is how it first seems to contradict itself constantly, but the more you get to know the country and its people, the more it shapes into a whole and harmonious picture. Why are the streets so clean, you may wonder, yet there is no concept of public bins. Well, people don’t produce waste on the go, and if they do, they take it with them because it ain’t the public’s business. There is a firm idea of the collective, yet there is enough place for individuality and creative expression. Most and foremost, Japanese culture is firmly rooted in the past and very forward-looking. This may seem like the biggest contradiction, but it all makes sense when traveling to this intriguing and fascinating country and getting to know its many inhabitants.
Michael Hoffman Photography 