The natural bridge, the square 50 cent coin, the windblown Divi Divi trees pointing to the southwest… in Aruba, you always know directions.

Rubber stamp – East Berlin and DDR
When Georgia at GingerBeirut invited us Lonely Planet bloggers to submit a rubber stamp post to the fourth Blogsherpa carnival, I took a while deciding which bureaucratic experience to share. I’ve had a few memorable ones, but which one to choose? Crossing into that peculiar non-state Transdniestr (surprisingly easy)? Being refused entry into Guinea Bissau [...]

DDR, Schengen and no more passport stamps
As a result of more efficient border control, such as the Schengen Agreement, you can travel in much of Europe without a passport. Even when a passport is required, it merely warrants a cursory glance. And while I applaud easy access to European countries, I’m also slightly nostalgic for the days when things were just [...]






