A few weeks ago, Basel experienced an unusually chilly couple of days, including a particularly frosty weekend that gave us a fresh layer of snow. This wintry weather was the perfect excuse to enjoy classic winter activities such as crafting snowmen, engaging in friendly snowball battles, and enjoying some fun ice sliding.

The following day was bright and sunny, but the lingering cold ensured the snow stuck around a bit longer. These moments presented some interesting photo opportunities, such as the one captured in the image above. The photo shows the sun's rays creating interesting patterns on the snowy rooftop.

Every time I visited Geneva and had to wait on the train station platforms, I noticed those luminous works of art in the street in front, and I always wondered what the story behind them was. The last time I visited Geneva, I took the photo you see above when I was passing by.

Some days ago, I read the story of those displays, and it's as interesting as they are beautiful: in December 2016, this work, titled "Pinta Cura", created by the local artist Frédéric Post, was set up in the center of Geneva for the 3rd edition of the Geneva Lux Festival. The work depicts the shamanic symbolism of yagé medicine among some indigenous peoples of Colombia, featuring the figures of the anaconda and the jaguar, two animals of power linked to healing and care.

The Eurostat website published an interesting article that emphasizes the increasing importance of digital skills in response to technological advancements. It discusses how the EU aims for at least 80% of adults to have at least basic digital skills by 2030.

It also describes how, even though around 90% of EU citizens use the internet weekly, only 54% on average had basic or above-basic digital skills in 2021. Finland and the Netherlands led with 79%, followed by Ireland (70%) and Denmark (69%), highlighting disparities in digital proficiency across EU countries.

As more and more of our traditional activities move even further online, investing in digital skills education from an early age would seem to be a wise decision. I hope the EU governments will prioritise it.

Last Saturday, I started the day very early since I had to catch a train to Freiburg. As I was cycling towards the Badischer Bahnhof station and approaching the Mittlere Brücke over the Rhine River, I noticed that the sky was really beautiful with its pink, multicolored hues. I had to stop suddenly to take the photo you see above. When I was about to take out my phone, I turned to my right, and there was another cyclist who had done exactly the same thing. With a smile, she said, "We have to take a photo of this, right?" and smiling back, I said, "Yes, indeed, it's a must!"

Last weekend, I went on a nice bike ride to buy a few items for breakfast. My journey took me across the Franco-German border via the "Passerelle des Trois Pays" bridge. As I pedaled along, the sun began to rise, casting beautiful multicolored hues on the horizon, while birds flew from one side to the other. I couldn't resist the urge to stop and take a photo. You can see the result above. Next page