Response 418

  • In Praise of Good Bookstores, Jeff Deutsch (ISBN 978-0691207766, Princeton University Press)

    This book was a tip from the book reviewers in the newspaper I read. And it is clear why book lovers like this book. Written by a former bookstore manager it is a basically long tribute to the bookstore, elaborating why it is important that we as a society ensure they survive. If you love books you will also love this one. Besides the fact that I am sympathetic to the author’s point of view I also found it a treasure trove of quotes. Deutsch draws on his lifelong experience of selling books and puts special importance on browsing in…

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    In Praise of Good Bookstores, Jeff Deutsch (ISBN 978-0691207766, Princeton University Press)

  • New weapons

    ‘If atomic bombs are to be added as new weapons to the arsenals of the warring world, or to the arsenals of nations preparing for war, then the time will come when mankind will curse the names of Los Alamos and of Hiroshima.‘― J. Robert Oppenheimer

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  • Bike Touring in Sveti Filip: A Fun Yet Mixed Experience

    On our last day staying in Sveti Filip we went for a short 30k bike tour. The route was not very scenic but relatively free of car traffic. We had only 2 climbs to overcome, a short steep one at the beginning and a long but less steep one near the end, just before entering Biograd. Our average speed was ok’ish and we got to Biograd around noon. We were all looking forward to a relaxing afternoon so we decided to go for an early lunch at Arkada restaurant, right next to the sea. We sat outside on a terrace…

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  • Ill fares the land

    ‘Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, where wealth accumulates, and men decay.‘― Oliver Goldsmith

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  • Affordable dining at Konoba Galija near Vrana National Park

    On our cycle tour to Vrana National Park we had to find a place to lunch. After visiting the park the route took us past the Maskovica Heritage Hotel which also has a restaurant. The hotel is located in an old medieval building and is part of the national heritage. We stopped to have a look at the outside and the inner courtyard but decided not to have lunch hear even though the menu was attractive. We were simply not dressed for the occasion. Heading back to Sveti Filip we passed Pakostane and ended up having lunch in Konoba Galija.…

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  • Birdwatching in Vrana National Park

    While in Sveti Filip we biked to the Vrana National Park. This is Croatia’s largest natural lake. After many days of cycling the kids had opted for a day off at the beach and we cycled by ourselves. Instructions at the start of our tour were a bit fuzzy so we lost some time navigating through Biograd but after that it was fine. There were 2 alternative routes and we opted for an off road section. This turned out to be very bumpy so half way we decided to follow the remainder of the on road alternative which turned out…

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  • Hidden Gem: San Marko Konoba Restaurant Review

    During our stay in Croatia we also visited Pasman island by bike. This bike tour was one of the most bike friendly we did with some dirt road sections and fewer pedestrians to navigate. We had some luck while following the coast to find a place for a swim that had chairs under trees that belonged to an apartment but were not occupied. We opted to go for a swim instead of sticking to the complete bike route. We had enough exercise in the heat with a few steep climbs when the road had to leave the coast and go…

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  • Hotel Villa Donat in Sveti Filip and Vanilla Beach & Grill Bar in Sveti Petar, Croatia

    While in Croatia this summer we stayed in Zadar for a few days and then moved to Sveti Filip I JaKov to the Hotel Villa Donat. The hotel is a short walk to the beach but if you prefer you can also swim in the outdoor pool. Rooms are quite modern but the hotel does have a bit of a former Eastern bloc atmosphere to it. This is most obvious in the restaurant which is a buffet with the bar being in the next room and requring guests to go over to get drinks while having dinner. The restaurant and…

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  • My Strava 2025 Running Summary: Achievements and Goals

    This week I got my annual Strava summary for 2025. Of course I already knew that compared to the past 2025 was a good year in terms of activity as it was the first time I reached the 500k running target. But seeing the statistics compared to the previous years it puts it in another perspective. To begin, since I joined Strava somewhere in 2017 I actually managed to run 500k in a year twice before. These were the covid years 2020 and 2021 where we were all forced to stay at home a lot. There was more time and…

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    My Strava 2025 Running Summary: Achievements and Goals

  • Growing Herbs at Home: Update on my Experience with Auk Mini

    Last May I bought an Auk mini and planted some basil and parsley. As mentioned in another post growing the plants turned out to be as easy as claimed on the Auk website. The plants also lasted a good while : we finally decided they were over their peak in November. Partly this was because of maltreatment from our side during the vacation period with not enough cutting followed by not administering the advised amount of nutrients. Still, we had roughly 5 months of joy from the plants, offering multiple cuttings each week. And especially the taste of the basil…

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