Uncornered Market

25/03/2023

Always welcome an excuse to return to Malaga in Spain’s Andalusia region. This last trip was to lead and facilitate a 3-day strategic workshop for IUCN Green List 2030 project and an inspiring group of nature conservationists from around the world.

Although we’ve visited Malaga several times before, we were still struck by what a beautiful city it is (especially at night) and it’s fun and lively vibe. In the evenings the streets come alive with people eating & laughing outdoors (thanks to it’s warm winter temperatures).

We extended our stay a bit longer to take in the nearby coast with a 16-km hike (so good to stretch legs after 3 days inside!) and explore the nearby hills and gorges at Torcal de Antequera Natural Park. While the Caminito del Rey hike is the most popular hike in this area, we weren’t able to get tickets so we opted to hike above it and look down into the impressive and deep gorges.

Malaga can get really busy during high season, but visiting now was just about perfect with its warm, sunny days without the big crowds.

27/02/2023

Excited to finally be able to share the online premiere of "A Small Country with a Big Heart*"!

Within hours of the war starting in Ukraine, Moldova's tourism sector went into action to offer a helping hand. During the first few weeks and months of the war, Moldova's rural guest houses, wineries and hotels hosted, fed, and supported over 10,000 Ukrainian refugees (known in Moldova simply as "guests").

This documentary film shares that story through interviews with eight hosts from five rural guest houses throughout Moldova. When they found themselves unexpectedly on the front line of a refugee and humanitarian crisis, they didn't hesitate: they immediately acted by opening their doors and hearts to provide shelter, hot meals, and caring shoulder to rest upon.

I've been fortunate to meet all of the hosts featured in this film and can say that they are just as incredible and inspiring in person. I hope you may have a chance to visit Moldova and meet them for yourself sometime soon.

In the meantime, please "meet" Sergiu, Liuba, Dan, Zaharia, Tatiana, Ana Olesea and Anatol through this documentary film.

Be sure to click “subtitles / closed caption” for English subtitles.

*The title of the film, this comes from how the international press and United Nations began to refer to Moldova as “a small country with a big heart.” Although small and with limited resources, Moldova welcomed almost 800,000 Ukrainian refugees into their homes and hearts, despite the country’s size of 2.6 million people.

ENG Overnight, one of the least known and smallest countries in Europe became home for tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees as never before in its modern ...

25/02/2023

We just passed one year of war in Ukraine. So much destruction, pain, suffering and senseless death. Yet we’ve also seen and been inspired by so many stories of humanity, strength, kindness and the power of community....even against all odds.

May we continue to through our awareness, advocacy, and actions. And may this be the last anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine that we need to mark.



(Photo from a recent trip to Barcelona...more on that soon)

02/01/2023

Oh (not so) little towns of Metz & Nancy in Lorraine, France.

Each year we escape from Berlin at New Year’s Eve to avoid the DIY fireworks (they are especially bad in our neighborhood) and look for a new place to explore to start our year. As we wanted to avoid flying, we looked at different locations near the German border accessible by train…and Metz and Nancy in eastern France jumped out.

What a good decision that was. Both towns are rather charming, friendly and just fun to walk around and explore the different layers of history and architecture from the 13th century to the present.

We stopped by Metz for the day en route to Nancy and rang in the new year from its grandiose 18th century Place Stanislas after a full on French feast. We realize how fortunate we are to begin the new year this way.

We hope your 2023 has gotten off to a good start and we wish you a new year filled with joy, health and peace!

25/12/2022

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and holidays filled with joy, laughter, health and peace!

Here is a little taste of the holiday spirit in Berlin 🎄 Watch until the end…

20/11/2022

For those of you who have enjoyed following along with our e-bike adventures through Lazio, Italy, we've put together all the different experiences, beautiful medieval hill towns, dynamic local people we met, delicious meals we ate, and everything in-between into our latest article.

Although we have visited Italy well over a dozen times over the years, we knew little about Lazio prior to this project with Thybris River Experience to help develop e-bike itineraries. What we found in Lazio was a slice of Italy with all the archaeological, culinary, natural and romantic trappings you might expect but, for now at least, without the crowds.

Very accessible and easy to get to from Rome, but a completely different world...

Exploring Lazio with trips outside Rome full of hill towns, nature, and culture, but without the crowds. Off-the-beaten-path Italy by e-bike.

13/11/2022

Everyone knows of Rome, the Eternal City. But how many have heard of Portus or Ostia (Antica) with their ancient ports and cities that served as gateways for commerce and exchange during the Roman Empire from the Mediterranean Sea along the Tiber River to Rome? ⁠
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These lesser known ancient sites and archeological ruins, and the role they played in the development and growth of Rome, formed the foundation of our exploration close to Italy's capital city. But our journey in this area to work with Thybris River Experience to create new e-bike itineraries in this project funded by Lazio Region isn't just focused on the past, ancient history. It is also aimed at highlighting passionate local people and their projects to protect nature, history and community. ⁠
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Here are some of those places and experiences, from the ancient to the present, in the Fiumicino, Isola Sacra, and Ostia areas of Lazio Region all the way into Rome itself. ⁠
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📍Cycle under a canopy of trees in the pine forest of Castel Fusano to reach Ostia Antica. Walk through the ancient streets, homes, theater and businesses of this thriving ancient city (until 4th century). ⁠
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⚓️ Imagine the bustling ancient city of Portus while walking around the ruins of the Port of Claudius (42 AD) and Harbor of Trajan (100 AD). Today, this site is 3km from the coastline, but from 2000-1600 years ago this was the main port for goods and food that connected Rome to the Mediterranean Sea via the Tiber River. Much of this ancient city is still undiscovered. ⁠
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💀 Explore the Necropolis of Portus in Isola Sacra, a vast cemetery starting in 1st century AD with well-preserved tombs, mosaics and mausoleums of workers and tradesmen. ⁠
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🚴 Cycle around the medieval walls of the ancient Episcope and meet a 92-year old bicyclist at the Museo della Cultura Contadina in Isola Sacra. ⁠

🛳 Meet the passionate owner of the Pietro Micca Steam Tugboat who is keeping this maritime history and heritage of this 120+ boat alive.
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🍽️ Eat well and local. ⁠
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🇮🇹 Say hello to the Colosseum in Rome after cycling into the city on e-bike from Ostia along the Pasolini and Regina Ciclarum bicycle paths.

If you are in Rome and want an off-beat experience away from the crowds, we know a few places in Lazio Region just outside the city…

08/11/2022

Our exploration of Lazio region for the Thybris River Experience e-bike project continues further along the Tiber River in the Tevere-Farfa Natural Reserve. Landscapes are green, the pace reflective. Still only an hour northeast of Rome by train.

A bit of the local flavor you might encounter:

📍 More hill towns! Nazzano, Filiciano, Ponzano Romano, Sant’Oreste. Some were built up to 1000 years ago, high up and cliffside to eye the Tiber River below as it flowed with goods into Rome. Take an espresso, dreamily peruse real estate listings, enjoy beer and snacks in a piazza, slurp suppli di telefono (a warm croquette with mozzarella so oozy it stretches like telephone wire).

🛶 🥾 🚴 Kayak the Tiber River and hike/cycle the Tevere-Farfa Natural Reserve. Take in the texture, the volcanic tufa hillsides and castles overhead. Encounter swimming wild boars(!) + migratory birds as they make their way south for the winter.

🥒 Lounge and nosh farm-to-table with Mauro, founder of La Fattoria Didattica Campo di Contra. Zucchini flower fritters with honey made by bees who snack on local resin, antipasto locale, grilled melanzane and peppers, and fresh bean salad are all served with a quaffable homemade wine. Feel the vision he has for his land and for helping connect visitors to nature.

☕️ Conversation on the veranda with Michele Longo, a retired film director and active artist. Enjoy Cornettino di Ponzano Romano (a savory crisp croissant twist dashed w/ anise and olive oil and glazed just sweet). Discover the secret to “creative fermentation." Appreciate his pithy wisdom and spirit at 82-years young.

🪖 Marvel at the scale of Mussolini’s mega-bunker tunnel complex Bunker Soratte. Carved into the mountains by Italian engineers from 1936-39, and due to Il Duce’s loose hubristic lips, squatted by N**i Germany thereafter. If you think you've seen it all re: WWII history, find this place. Later it becomes a Cold War fallout shelter. The NATO situation room also bends the mind. Sobering too, once you overcome the fascination.

And, of course, there was much eating, drinking of local wines and laughter along the way.

04/11/2022

Before this project we really didn’t know much about Lazio Region in Italy. But travel just one hour outside Rome by train like we did to the Tuscia area of northern Lazio and you’ll find what feels like a completely different world, despite its accessibility to the city.⁠

Here are a few of the people, places, foods, wines and experiences we met while exploring this Tuscia area of Lazio on e-bikes for this Thybris River Experience project to create new itineraries focused on all things local, including meeting local personalities and community initiatives.
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📍 Hill towns! While Tuscany and Umbria are famous for their hill towns, you’ll find the beauty of medieval hill towns like Civitella d'Agliano, Ghost Town of Celleno, Roccalvecce, Sippiciano and Vitorchiano perched high above the valley in Lazio, but without the crowds. ⁠(This is also where an e-bike comes in handy…there’s nothing like speeding straight uphill, then rolling through an Italian hill town!)⁠
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🍷 Sample Trebotti winery's sustainable volcanic wines and homegrown produce while overlooking the vineyards and the valley of the Tiber below.⁠

📌 Find the hidden sculpture garden of La Serpara tucked away in the hills showcasing the creations of their artists in residence who have found inspiration in the nature there.

🚲 Marvel at the private collection in Civitella d’Agliano of early 20th century tradesman bicycles, from mobile knife sharpeners to priests to photographers who traveled by bicycle from town to town.

🚴 Cycle over rolling hills and through valleys, crossing lush fields and forests. ⁠
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🏡 Stay in a restored 18th century villa with an artist host (and 4 dogs and 10 cats) and experience living history.⁠
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🍝 And, eat (& drink 🍷) your heart out along the way.

🏰 Watch the sunset from the medieval castle in Graffignano.

31/10/2022

Ciao!! We’ve been a bit quiet here as we've been working on a project in Italy’s Lazio Region to help develop a few e-bike routes to explore lesser known hill towns, protected areas and cultural/historical features along the Tiber River that connects the region with Rome and the Mediterranean Sea.

(If you’re wondering, “Where’s Lazio again?” it’s the region where Rome is located.)

The goal: to create 2-3 day customizable itineraries to connect travelers to these still relatively unknown areas near Rome (we saw only a few international travelers during all our visits) in a way that celebrates local communities, artisans and people for a more personal and memorable experience. And, of course, being Italy, this means food and wine also plays an outsized role 🙂

We worked together with Giorgia Cadinu, a dynamic professional guide in Rome and cycling enthusiast, who initiated this Thybris River Experience project with funding from Lazio Region. She is a fount of knowledge on all things Italian history, culture, and cuisine, and her incredible curiosity and passion continually comes through in this project. We learned so much from her each day.

Another core component to these itineraries: sustainability and a focus on everything local in terms of accommodation, guides, wine, food, transport and providers in order to maximize local benefit and reduce environmental impact. This is also one of the reasons that e-bikes are the primary mode of transport (together with an occasional regional train).

Although we cycle quite a lot, this was our first time on e-bikes…which also made for quite an experience. There’s nothing like being able to cycle straight uphill to an Italian hill town!!

Look forward to introducing you to some of the people and places we met along this journey!

11/10/2022

Just returned from a third trip to Moldova as tourism and marketing advisor for the USAID EDGE Buy-In Moldova Competitive Transition Activity. Honored to have been asked to be part of a panel at the Moldova Tourism Forum related to the importance of digitalization in Moldova’s tourism development + give a talk at Chișinău’s Economic Forum on Urban Tourism and how it could be used to drive inclusive city development.

Although the topics seem very different on the surface, there were a few underlying themes that connected them: how tourism development and technology can be used to better engage local communities, especially rural and marginalized ones, and invite them into the discussion and provide more opportunities in the tourism economy. And ultimately, the goal of all this tourism development is to make a place better for local people to live, as well as for people to visit.

Another big topic of these forums & visit has been destination resilience, something that is not an abstract concept for my Moldovan tourism colleagues after two years of a pandemic followed by the impact of the war in neighboring Ukraine and now an energy crisis. The project has been adeptly adapting to these ongoing crises by supporting around 40 rural guest houses and businesses by diversifying products and services, investing in renewable energy to reduce dependence on natural gas (and soaring prices) and improving digitalization (love seeing more & more family guest houses able to take direct online bookings!)

Very fortunate that this visit to Moldova coincided with the 20th National Wine Days, a full on celebration of all things Moldovan wine that takes over the streets of Chisinau and wineries throughout the country. It was a great event where you could connect directly with the winemakers. I especially loved seeing how the small, independent winemakers who have taken great risks and are focusing on local Moldovan grape varietals are being celebrated and supported by local people and visitors alike. (And yes, the wine is truly excellent).

And finally, an escape from the city to explore the Nistru River by kayak where a friendly dog jumped in and joined as co-pilot.

As I always say, Moldova will surprise you 😉

04/10/2022

Oh little town of Ericeira just north of Portugal. Once a sleepy fishing, this town and its nearby beaches are now famous for surfing (and it’s still known for its fresh seafood).

We picked up my mom in Lisbon and spent a couple of lovely days in Ericeira enjoying wandering the streets, walking to nearby Ribeira d’Ilhas beach and enjoying long lunches over fresh seafood. Just lovely.