Author: ridesandstrides

Berlin Ferry Story #2
Walking

Berlin Ferry Story #2

After taking my first ferry ride in Berlin last year, I’d been wanting to try out another route (because I enjoy cheap public transport thrills like that). This time J and I decided for yet another old route, running between Oberschöneweide and Baumschulenweg. Both neighbourhoods are located in the Treptow-Köpenick district in the eastern part […]

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Easter Weekend Ride: Berlin to Brandenburg and back
Cycling

Easter Weekend Ride: Berlin to Brandenburg and back

It had been a while since I cycled the whole day, mainly because it had been too cold to do so in winter/early spring. Berlin’s April weather has been whimsical, to say the least. One morning it snowed, and a few hours later the ground was completely dry you wouldn’t be able to tell what […]

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Brandenburg: Fürstenwalde – Hangelsberg
Hiking, Walking

Brandenburg: Fürstenwalde – Hangelsberg

This year, International Women’s Day (March 8) fell on a Monday, which was excellent because Berlin celebrates it as a public holiday. Berlin is, believe it or not, the only state in Germany that stipulates Women’s Day as a bank holiday. Then again, it’s also the state with the lowest number of public holidays in […]

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Happy International Women’s Day! #ChooseToChallenge
Jogging

Happy International Women’s Day! #ChooseToChallenge

When I signed up for a half marathon training programme, I knew that there will be days on which I have to literally drag myself out of the apartment to go running, because I feel lazy/it’s cold outside/snuggling under the duvet with a good book is much more appealing. Yesterday was one of those days. […]

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Berlin Ferry Story #1
Walking

Berlin Ferry Story #1

Did you know that ferries are part of Berlin’s public transportation system? Around this time last year, just before COVID-19 shutdowns happened, J and I took a stroll in the Müggelsee area of Treptow-Köpenick. After reaching Berlin’s supposedly tallest peak in Müggelberg, we stumbled upon a ferry terminal and decided to take the ferry to […]

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Misc

The Saturday Morning Murder

It was barely past seven The first rays of sunlight pushing against the grey peering shyly through our curtainless windows A loud thump. I sat up on my bed —I’m not a light sleeper Was it just a terrible dream? Thought I had said my prayers. Groggily, I gathered myself three-quarter asleep I pried the […]

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Mood Springs
Misc

Mood Springs

This post isn’t strictly about hiking, walking, jogging or cycling, but since I often perform these activities against trees as a backdrop, writing about these magnificent creatures surely isn’t completely off-topic. The initial trigger for this post was a book by Peter Wohlleben that I recently completed, called The Hidden Life of Trees. In fact, […]

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Když nemůžeš, tak přidej
Hiking, Jogging

Když nemůžeš, tak přidej

I was just listening to my daily dose of Czech podcast this morning as the host quoted one of the greatest Czech athletes of all time, Emil Zátopek. Když nemůžeš, tak přidej. – Emil Zátopek In English, the quote means “When you can’t (take it anymore), press on”. Such a simple piece of advice, yet […]

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It’s only cold if you’re standing still
Jogging

It’s only cold if you’re standing still

Ten years ago, I didn’t even enjoy walking on snow, so I kinda surprised myself when I managed to jog on snow/when it was snowing in the past week or so, almost without complaints. Maintaining a consistent pace was a struggle, but I quite relished the reassuring squeak of fresh snow under my feet as […]

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Opportunity comes but once
Jogging

Opportunity comes but once

If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later! Richard Branson As you might have read in a previous post, I set myself a goal of running 600 km in 2021. Recently, though, an opportunity came knocking on […]

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