Christopher Ludgate

Licensed Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom), Museum Island, Berlin, Germany, 14th August 2017

A Perfect Pairing in Berlin

I stood at one of the French balconies in the living room of my Pariser Platz Suite at the iconic five-star Hotel Adlon Kempinski, admiring the evening’s glow on historic Brandenburg Gate just outside. Pedestrians lingered in sprawling Pariser Platz below, marveling at the 235-year-old monument. Visits from royals and rock stars, intellectuals, artists, tyrants, and heads of state are the many tales told here. The legendary landmark was bathed in ambience as a street musician struck romantic chords. I leaned into the frame, sipping champagne, knowing that this was indeed the best view in the house; if not the entire city.

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Whitby Abbey was a significant inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula C. Ludgate

Enchantments on the UK Rail

It was just shy of two hours after leaving King’s Cross in London and gliding north into the unfolding countryside when I pulled into York Station. Beams of sunshine poked through the curved glazed ceiling onto the platform of the historic depot. The original clock hung above the imperial staircase in what used to be the world’s biggest rail station back in 1877. It loomed large enough to let passengers on the remaining eleven platforms know what time it was. These old stations can be so cinematic. My mind’s eye snapped a picture.

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The Art & Science of Seaweed Foraging

Along oceanic shores and rocky seascapes exists an integral part of the planet’s vast marine ecosystem. Here in this intercoastal environment, numerous species of this hearty algae family thrive in systematically formed symbiotic relationships. Packed with a wealth of valuable nutrients, seaweed provides a crucial food source for all kinds of co-existing microbiology, including seabirds. And, for many foraging cultures around the globe, seaweeds are a cherished commodity for both gastronomy and wellbeing.

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Mountain Yoga Festival in St. Anton Austria Photo Karl Straub

An Elevated Wellness Immersion

I knew in an instant when I was finally able to do a full upward bow again, that I was where I needed to be. It was the Mountain Yoga Festival in St. Anton, Austria, and yogi nature lovers had been ascending up into the idyllic mountain village during the first days of September for the open-air wellness immersion. A dynamic variety of outdoor yoga classes, panoramic hikes, philosophy workshops, restorative meditations, and sound healing were just some of the experiences in the offing.

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Santa Maria was built upon the Temple of Juno in Gozo, Malta Christopher Ludgate

Off the Map in Malta

All to myself in the morning light of Gozo, I drifted through the tiny fortified alleys of Iċ-Ċittadella, hugged by lofty limestone ubiquitous in Malta’s architecture. Standing on a foundation more than 3000 years old, I ran my fingers along the fortress’s soft, porous stone, caressing the white specks of seashells embedded for millennia…

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TM & the Science of Consciousness from Wander Magazine's Wanderlust Issue Story Christopher Ludgate

TM & the Science of Consciousness

There’s a curiosity that often evokes a sense of mystique that radiates around the practice of Transcendental Meditation. It’s no cult or religion. And it is not an ephemeral trend. The intriguing concept of TM and its effects have been studied and proven in hundreds of scientific studies since the technique was developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and entered the spotlight back in the 1960s…

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Normandy's Chateau Dieppe on the English Channel. C. Ludgate

In the Footsteps of the Impressionists

As the boat approached the shores of Normandy, toward the French port of Dieppe, I felt awash in the light and atmosphere of the harbor.  The saturation of the setting sun lit my way upon the trail of great masters of Impressionism like Monet and Pissarro. I began the journey in London days before, exploring the art movement’s beloved works and some of the subjects that inspired them.

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View of Lake Villarrica at Hotel Antumalal in Pucon, Chile. C. Ludgate

Chilean Dreamscapes

Drenched in late-day sunlight, in a valley between the Andean peaks of Chile’s Araucanía
region, the shimmering waters of a glacial lake stretched before me. I gazed out from the shaded
tea room overlook, nestled in the sprawling natural terrain of Lake Villarrica at Hotel Antumalal
in remote Pucón.

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Cliffs of Moher, Ireland, Wild Atlantic Way C. Ludgate

Untamed in the Wild Atlantic Way

Gliding up to the peak of Sky Road along its rolling hills, coastal overlook nooks, and grazing herds was a revelation in itself. The dramatic vastness of the ocean opened up before me and I barely came to a full stop before hopping off my bike to get to the edge. I was completely enthralled. Imagine living in one of those houses along the inlet down there, I thought. The peace and quiet, the commanding beauty. My God, it was stunning.

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