The Holiday: This year was Cyprus. Went to watch the WRC in September and stayed on to see the beaches. The whole island is so small that we were able to cover it all, forwards as well as backwards! And we had some amazing food and wine. The traditional dish (or rather dishes) there is the mezze. Its like a set meal- one has no choice but eat what they serve. It starts rather innocuously with a couple of salads and dips, then goes on to more substantial vegetarian things, then fish, then chicken, then pork, then lamb. When when thinks that its truly over now, they take away the plates and bring in new ones for the main course! Its really hard work to go through a meal like that. One has to start preparing and planning from breakfast onwards!

We also had some very nice Cypriot wine. I have become quite a convert! The Cypriots are rather large, specially around the middle, and truly friendly, warm and welcoming.

On my birthday, I was in Helsinki. Walked around the city and the harbour area. Went for a ride in the ferry and saw some Finnish islands- many covered with Sauna's. Apparently there are more Saunas in Finland than the Finnish population, so all Finns can sauna at the same time!

I do like the Finns. Without Kimi Raikkonen in F1 and Marcus Grönholm in the WRC, it wouldn't be the same!

Recently in Russia, at the Red Square: I just couldn't get over St Basil's Cathedral. It looks straight out of a fairy tale, where only wonderful things happen. And to think that it was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible......

I travel a lot on work and I enjoy meeting people, discussing issues and writing about them on www.strategicforesight.com That's where you will find the "official"- photos, articles, interviews with people. This blog is for the non-official part- impressions of cities, people and of course, the birds, animals and trees.