twikga stories about life, travels and other passions
What you love is what you cherish. We believe that opening your hart to the small wonders of life will make you appreciate what you have and passionate about preserving the world around you. Sadly, in times of climate change the urgency of wildlife conservation is brought right to our doorsteps. We realize how privileged we are to travel the world and hope that by sharing our pictures with a broader audience, through our websites, exhibitions and social media, that we may contribute to the protection of the places we were fortunate enough to visit over the years…
To fly or not to fly
Bumpy days are soon to come. On our safari we are likely to enjoy some bumpy rides among the clouds again. My stomach does not like them at all. I arm myself with travel-sickness-chewing-gum or -pills if the flights are longer. But the pills make you drowsy, and I don't want to miss anything, meaning the stunning views and any ever so unlikely emergency. I guess traveling in these little planes...
Der Rote Stuhl im Hamburger Hafen, ein Experiment in Öl
Über seine eigenen Werke darf man lästern. Dies war und blieb mein erstes Experiment mit Ölfarbe. Aber was soll's, es zeigt den Roten Stuhl und deshalb gehört es hierher. Als wir in 2003 nach Hamburg zogen stand der Rote Stuhl am Fenster, mit Blick über den Containerterminal am Burchhardkai. Willem saß dort oft mit seiner Zeitung. Als er auf einem unserer Reisen Geburtstag hatte, brauchte ich...
Hamburg Hafenstadt
Der Hamburger Hafen liegt mitten in der Stadt. Somit haben wir die großen Pötte immer an uns vorbeiziehen sehen. Die ersten fünf Jahre haben wir in Övelgönne gewohnt direkt gegenüber dem Containerterminal am Burchhartkai. Der lärm hat uns irgendwann nach Blankenese, weiter stromabwärts getrieben. Dort konnten wir die Containerriesen und die Queen Mary immer noch aus nächster Nahe bewundern. The...
The 3irds are back from their walkabout
"Hey Duvel, old chap! We are back, you must have missed us. We were on a walkabout." "Funnybird, I did not miss your crazy ideas, and yes, I had a nice holiday too." "This was serious business Duvel, we went back to our roots! We went to look for our brothers and sisters, on a farm in a zoo and even a pet-shop, but we could not find any birds like ourselves. We even got chased by cats and grumpy...
De Rode Stoel, een stoel met gevoel
Netty Dekker is de oorspronkelijke eigenaar van de rode stoel. "Voor mij is dit een Familiestoel, een stoel met een verhaal. Hij stond bij ons in de kamer, toen was hij nog ecru. In die tijd had ik niet echt het zitvlees om erin te zitten. We hadden een druk gezin, de praktijk draaide altijd maar door. Maar als we samen in de woonkamer zaten was het mijn stoel. Dus ook een mijmerstoel, een stoel...
Celebrating the last days of summer in HH-city
What a great day! It makes you forget the wet spring and the cold start of the summer. Everybody seems to treasure the last rays of sun, not knowing when autumn will visit us this time. I religiously walk around on flip-flops, while I still can. The beach is full of people, sunbathing, picnicking, it might be the last time. The holidays are over, the schools have started and in the evening the...
Tata&Squack want to STOP the Serengeti Highway
"Squack, look, am I dreaming, that must be the Serengeti Highway!" "What do you mean, Tata, are they building a highway right through the Serengeti? How are the animals going to migrate? They will die if they do not have enough fresh grass and water." "Well, yes, but animals do not count as much as people and money. Politicians have been talking about that road for years. They are also...
The Red Chair is here to stay
The Red Chair has been in my life since I met Willem, which was nearly 28 years ago. Back then it belonged to his parents, who gave me a very warm welcome during a very rough period at home. Something I am still very thankful for. The chair was the chair of Willem's mother. Everyone respected that, even the boys. Willem has two brothers and their house was always filled with stories, laughter,...
Sommerwetter, Regenwetter, Hundewetter?
Ein Glück können wir das Wetter nicht ändern, sonst hätten wir diesen Sommer viel zu tun. So müssen wir uns damit abfinden, oder auch nicht. Verlagshund Duvel scheint jedes Wetter recht. Heute morgen hat er sich jedoch geziert, als er die dicken Tropfen sah. Der kleine Fußweg vor unserem Haus hatte sich inzwischen in einen Bach verändert. Als er völlig durchnässt zurückkam sah er ziemlich...
Lions have to feed their children too
Eat and be eaten. We all know about the circle of life, but still it is harsh to see a group of lions actually kill and eat an animal. At that point I remind myself that lions have to feed their children too. The chances of a lion cub reaching adulthood are very small. Feeding them is merely one of the challenges. They are often killed by competing male lions or rivaling predators. Food is...
