Re-use on a big scale: Germany

It doesn't sound very sexy, going to old Nato bases somewhere in Germany or steel works in Ruhr, but it's a lot better than it sounds.

Alter Flugplatz Bonames, Frankfurt

What do you do when an old airfield is abandoned? You turn it in to a park of course. Let nature take over and have something which attracts people, like keeping the old tarmac by the flight tower for people to roller-blade on and convert the buildings in to a restaurant. On a German tour this has to be one of the stops. Tower Café, located in the park in the old airfield buildings.

Duisburg Nord Landschaftspark, Ruhr

I think I could get lost here, as simple as that. The park has some interesting lightning too so a visit twice is probably in order, and I suspect that this time of the year is the best time to go. Landschaftspark Duisburg Nord on the web.

Once these are ticked off I'd slowly cruise the narrow roads down the Rhine Valley and work my way through the villages and wineries, eating and drinking for a week at least.

Shimmering red

Alvaret on Öland a rainy August weekend. The limestone's red glow felt almost alien. It's got a special feeling, Alvaret. I remember well when we were on Öland with the school when I was 9 years old how the colours vibrated, how I felt like running out in to the impressionist painting with the incredibly blue sky arching above. Even when the sky is dark grey and the rain is hammering it's incredibly colourful.

Gaudí

Still haven't been to Barcelona.

Seved

Sevedsplan, Malmö.

Contemporary baroque

Tage Andersen definitely has a recognisable style. I'm not crazy about everything he does, but in the right context it works very well. This is from Rosenborgs Slot in Copenhagen, where this industrial baroque blends in quite nicely.

When in Rome...

Go to Ninfa.

Narva

One of the most interesting trips I've made went to Narva in Estonia. I didn't go there to soak up the Swedish glory days and the Swedish lion mooning Russia across the river didn't sit well with me.

The one thing which struck me the most was the derelict state Narva is in. It's not as bad as Sillamäe that you pass on your way from Tallinn to Narva, but still. It's not just the houses that are falling apart, but the green spaces aren't dealt with and the streets are in a sorry state. Bring a flash light if you're moving outside after dark.

More than 90% of the population are Russians. In many ways it shows; the massive vodka bottles, the cheap second class fruits in the supermarkets and the stalls with fresh flowers open at impossible hours are things you see in Russia too. And there's a conflict between Russians and Estonians. I'm going to let this 5 Krooni banknote illustrate this issue; note the darkness coming out of Mordor Russia.