A long time ago, when I first moved to Ireland for work, I was lucky enough to settle in Sandymount – a charming coastal suburb just south of Dublin’s city centre. My apartment sat right on the edge of Sandymount Strand, a wide sandy beach that stretches past one of the historic Martello Towers.

In the mornings, as I walked along the promenade, I would admire the twin chimneys that appeared in the distance: the famous Poolbeg Chimneys. These towering figures used to belong to the now-decommissioned Poolbeg Power Station. Although the plant is no longer operational, the chimneys remain and have become an iconic symbol of the city.

Last weekend, I finally had the chance to revisit that view in person. For many years I hadn’t seen those chimneys again, but this time I found myself walking along Sandymount Strand—reviving all the vivid memories tied to Ireland’s capital city.

One of the joys of spending weekends in Basel is being just steps away from the French border. It’s really easy to slip across early in the morning, pick up fresh bread from a local bakery, and return before sunrise — ready to enjoy breakfast with a still-warm baguette. And as if that weren’t enough, this trip often rewards early risers with breathtaking sunrises, like the one captured in the previous photo on Burgfelderstrasse.

According to some data published recently by Eurostat, life expectancy at birth in the European Union climbed to 81.7 years in 2024, an increase of 0.3 years compared with 2023.

The figures show notable differences across member states. Italy and Sweden are at the top of the rankings at 84.1 years, followed by Spain at 84.0 years. At the other end of the spectrum, Bulgaria (75.9), Romania (76.6) and Latvia (76.7) recorded the lowest life expectancy.

It's interesting how most countries have now surpassed their pre-pandemic levels. Of the 26 EU countries with available data, 24 saw improvements between 2019 and 2024. The biggest gains were observed in Lithuania (+1.1 years), Czechia, Latvia, and Romania (+1.0 each).

These 2024 results suggest that many EU countries have not only recovered from the setbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic but are continuing to make gradual progress in public health and longevity.

Every once in a while, you get lucky enough to witness that exact moment at sunrise when the sun first peeks over the horizon, painting the sky in a beautiful palette of orange and pink hues. That’s exactly what happened in Morges a couple of weeks ago, when I opened the windows to let in the fresh morning air and I was fortunate to capture it in the image above. I hope my significant other is lucky to have such a view today. Happy Birthday K!

One of the towns we had the opportunity to visit last month was the colorful town of Filandia, located in the hills of Colombia’s Coffee Triangle. It was my first time visiting this place, which truly captures the essence of the region’s cultural and natural heritage.

This town is as beautiful as Salento, but it felt more authentic and less touristy, with its cobblestone streets, brightly painted balconies, and sweeping views of rolling coffee plantations.

Just before arriving in town, we stopped at the Mirador Colina Iluminada, a tall wooden lookout that offers 360-degree views across the Andes and stunning perspectives of the surrounding regions of the famous Colombian Eje Cafetero. And of course, we couldn’t miss stopping by one of the Café Quindío stores to enjoy a delicious Colombian coffee and take a break before continuing our walk around the town.

Above you can see a representative picture of the beautiful town of Filandia.

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