Fri March 09 2018  —  e-mail Manfred

Vienna, back for a different adventure.

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Monday, April 09 2007

2 years, 8 month, 18 days

Vienna, Austria

About Travel Photography,
Colors of the World.

Manfred is creator of ThisFabTrek.com, travel photography, a travel blog and a photography blog (a journey from 2004 to 2013). 'I set out to see the colors of the world, always I try to capture the colors'.

Seeing, is understanding, so I report and photograph, but formost enjoy and live those different conceptions of life (all that TV [and the web] cannot give). I reject jealousy, animosity, bigotry. Be free!

Manfred in the desert of the Western Sahara

The mind, when pondering at night and always asked those questions. What am I doing in corporate wonderland of bank, university, office or church? Who is the other animal asleep deep inside, the thinker, punk, creative, or Indian, vagabond and healer, maybe artist, writer, photographer, traveler, globetrotter? Oh God, dare you to think. When I saw the lies, gambles and manipulations I follow the old dream and set out for the journey of life lived, the journey to see the colors of the world.

During years on the road I have taken the turns as they came along, and realized one thing: Only such a small part of the planet can be explored and such a vast land and sea mass will always remain unknown, to me; many swamps, jungles, deserts and oceans will never be traveled. But then I am father of twin boys, Daniel and David, my most important, and I show them some of the wonders and colors out there.

ThisFabTrek, Photography and Journey, the Stories from the Road and Life around the World, stopped in August 2013 after more than 9 years, Love and Peace.

Last vehicle.

G20, Chevy Gladiator.

Chevrolet Gladiator G20, The boys in Cordillera Blanca, Peru.
The boys and Chevy van, Peru.

The G20, the vehicle that came to me for the Americas adventures.

6 wheeled Land Rover.

Land Rover Defender 6x6
Link to Foley

The vehicle of the Africa adventures, a Foley 6-Wheeled Land Rover Defender.

Before, the MB307.

Manfred and MB307
Journey, Middle East.

The vehicle of the Middle-East and North-Cape Journeys. See all vehicles.

Daniel and David with nanny Aisha, the best we ever had, black African Woman carrying white twin babies, in Bamako, Mali.

Land Rover 50,203km

Trekking 333km

Ferry 803km

Train 150km

Other cars 26,065km

Travel Blog

contains Festival/Fiesta/Art photography.

"There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo.

"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it, to tell the tale." Living to Tell the Tale - Gabriel García Márquez.

"They never taught wandering in any school I attended. ... they never taught the art of writing a book, either. It's all so mysterious."
"Wandering is an art in itself. Wandering and writing don't mix"
"Writing demands commitment and if one thing your wanderer is allergic to is that very quality of commitment, for once one is committed he runs that very risk of failure ..." Wanderer - Sterling Hayden.

"Photography enables you to grasp a place first time round. ... Photography is a means of exploration, it's a vital part of travel, almost as essential as a car or a plane. " - Wim Wenders.

"The worst prejudice we acquire during our youth is the idea that life is serious. Children have the right instincts: they know that life is not serious, and treat it as a game..." , Egon Friedell.

"How far you gonna go. Before you lose your way back home" - Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World, Achtung Baby, U2.

"If you want to be a hero well just follow me." - Working Class Hero, John Lennon.

"When I think of all the things I have done, I know that it's only just begun." - I love you, Lou Reed.

"One does not escape the Sahara - the Sahara let's you go or not" - Touareg.

"Planet earth is blue and there`s nothing I can do" - This is Ground Control to Major Tom, David Bowie.

"Glory for the crazy people/in this stupid world" - Ahmed Fouad Negm.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > europe > austria > 20070409-vienna

What a year 2006.

Map, Bamako my center of the world.

Beginning of Jan 2007: Back home in Vienna Hasna is huge, has entered the 8th month pregnant with twins.

Back from 2 month in Africa, 5 weeks in Guinea, I know I have been extremely lucky/privileged. It is time to make a step back/think back/ponder as it is so prominently put in H1 on the top of the start page.

2006 has been the year when I married Hasna, and Hasna now is pregnant with twin boys, due anytime.

We were twice in Mali together, once I went on my own. Really I have moved the Land Rover just some 200km from Segou in Mali to Bamako in Mali. Twice I have taken the road from Vienna to Morocco and further through Mauritania and into Mali.

And all the festivals ... Essakanne, Segou, Essaouira. And .. not to forget the Percussion competition in Conakry Guinea. The drums of which are still in my head. 2006 years page.

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The Drums in my head. Reflecting on Guinea.

All January, February 2007: The drums from Guinea, the sound of Djembées, don't go away, images are vivid and remain deeply imprinted while I sit here in Vienna and work on the Guinea photographs.

And it strikes me with sadness when on 10th of Jan the news of a general strike breaks. Conakry was so quiet and peaceful in December, with only rumours seeping through about what is being cooked up.

The strike quickly turns into a nation-wide uprising and the countries ailing president Lansana Conté reacts by giving full powers to military commanders to restore order. Martial law in place for a month does not prevent demonstrations and in clashes with security forces some 300 people find death. Is worse still to come?

Relief Web 22/01, Reuters 23/01, Stealing from the poor 26/01, Insurrection As Strike Resumes 12/02, Guinea voices on the crisis 14/02, Guinea's last chance, after the deal, FT, 26/02,

Eventually a people's choice new prime minister Lansana Kouyaté is sworn in. It has been a 45-day long revolt, 1/03. And as quickly as Guinea has made it into the international news as quickly it also disappears from the radar.

Well, well, well - we only turn to Africa when something fatal, catastrophic is happens. I however intend to return as all I have experienced is a peaceful, embracing, affectionate people.

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23 Jan 2007, Ryszard Kapuscinski,

Polish writer/journalist who through his books on Africa inspired and influenced me dies 74. Wikipedia, Guardian.

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29th of Jan 2007, Daniel and David.

They are so small, don't make a noise, and they're mine (of course they're ours). Beautiful and healthy, we are so happy.

Just a bit more then two kilos each. Tiny, fragile, well a month too early. But they'll be stronger soon. They'll have to eat now, I think. Everything works. Mother's Milk. Hasna is Lady Madonna, rooted in nature.

We will be on the road soon.

Daniel left and David right
Daniel left, David right
Daniel and David hands
We are brothers
Daniel
Daniel
David
David

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Lorena, 27th of February.

Charly, Monika, Lorena
Charly, Monika, Lorena.

More children to our larger family. Lorena is born to Monica and Thomas my brother.

David
Lorena

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Feb 2007.

We learn as we grow with the babies. And they grow, become less fragile all the time. Each day requires making decisions. 10 days after their birth we eat out in the restaurant across the street. Since then we have no-more fear taking them anywhere. But slowly we go about pushing the limits.

Daniel and David never cry, I knew it before, they'd never cry. Maybe there is something we have learnt from Africans. All that the infants really need is a full mother's breast, the warmth of intimacy. Well just my opinion ...

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End March 2007 London.

Pushing the limits we take to London. It is the twins' first voyage. They are going to be grand travelers one day. They're easy. On the plane, the airport, on the tube, in a China town restaurant, on the outside bench of a pub in Knightsbridge, on the grass in Green Park Dan and Dave either sleep or drink their favourite juice.

First time London for Hasna, like a journey back in time for me and London seems better then ever. The city of a thousand nationalities. Just it takes a good handful of money to live here well permanently.

I meet the friends I neglected for more the 2 years. I even go north to Hartlepool to see my friend Jon perform with his The Pistols Band.

Hasna, me in London, Big Ben, Taxi, and red double decker bus.
This is London.
The Pistols, Sex Pistols Tribute band, Paul, The Studio, Hartlepool
Paul, "Rotten", Sex Pistols Tribute.
The Pistols, Sex Pistols Tribute band, Jon Miles, The Studio Hartlepool
Jon, The Pistols in The Studio Hartlepool.

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Easter and 21st of April. More from the family.

Parents and Twins, sister and Nele.
Parents, twins, Miri, Nele.
Sylvia and Twins.
Sylvia and twins.

Easter, old cherry tree in full bloom, blossom, blue sky.
Easter, old cherry tree in full bloom.

Now, we'll be on the road very, very soon now.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > europe > austria > 20070409-vienna

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