Greencaviar Travel

Beyond Oktoberfest: A Journey Through Berlin’s History  I thought I was headed for another Oktoberfest — the kind with overflowing beer steins, sizzling bratwurst, and the joyful chaos I once experienced in Munich. The real Oktoberfest there is pure exuberance: laughter echoing through crowded tents, brass bands playing endlessly, the air thick with the smell of roasted nuts and grilled sausages. It’s loud, carefree, and gloriously indulgent — the sort of celebration where you lose track of time in the swirl of songs and steins. But Berlin’s “Oktoberfest ” couldn’t have been more different. Berlin: A City Steeped in History In Berlin, I quickly realized this trip wasn’t about holding a beer mug high — it was about holding history close. The city wears its past openly, in ways that are both haunting and humbling. Every street, every monument, every fragment of wall seems to whisper stories of courage, loss, and rebirth. At the Reichstag , often called the People’s House, I stood in ...

  Chapter 8: Lalibela - Ethiopia’s New Jerusalem Just when I thought I’d seen the worst of Ethiopian roads, we made the drive from Mekele to Lalibela. What should have been a five-hour trip stretched into more than eight. The road was nothing but mud and ruts. At times, it felt less like driving and more like wrestling the earth itself. And then there were the interruptions: Military and militia checkpoints. Herds of cows, donkeys, and goats blocking the way. Farmers tending their animals right in the middle of the road, moving only when they felt like it. It was exhausting, frustrating, and at times, absurdly funny. But as soon as we arrived, we were swept into something extraordinary. We had come just in time for a double celebration: the end of a two-week fasting season and Ashandye, a festival honoring the empowerment of young women. The air pulsed with rhythm—drums, chants, ululations—and everywhere people were dancing. We followed the music into the heart of the gathering, w...