Kosmos

Forgotten how to say it? Then use your hands, but remember that some well-meant gestures or hand signals may cause offence in other countries and cultures

Victory
The “V” stands for victory with your palm facing forward – but in countries with a British flavor, it is a real insult if you turn
your hand around.

Metal
Point your index and your little finger, fold the others down, thumb on top: Heavy metal fans recognize each other by that sign, but in Tibet it will protect you from demons, and in Mediterranean countries, it’s the sign of the cuckold.

Okay
Form a circle with your thumb and index finger and you’ll signal “all is well” to other scuba divers and to many people on land – except in Belgium and France, where it means “zero” or “worthless.”

You are mother and daughter, aunt and nephew, father and son or grandmother and grandchild and you like going away together? Now you have the chance to win yourselves a generation weekend at Swissôtel Zürich or Berlin – exclusively for readers of the Lufthansa Magazin online – by writing us a short email telling us why you are the perfect travel duo.

Prize: two nights, 1x in a single room, 1x in the kids/teens room, breakfast included, one trip each in Zurich and in Berlin. Write and tell us which of the two cities you would like to visit.

Conditions of entry: one participant must be at least 27 years old, the other no more than 17 (on date of receipt of your email).

Please write to: lhmagazin@territory.de, including “Swissotel” in the subject line. We look forward to receiving your mail!

For details of all Swissôtel specials, visit: swissotel.com

You must be at least 18 years old to enter the competition. The final date for entries is 31.11.2017. The winners will be picked from the best entries by the Lufthansa editorial team and notified by email. All Swissôtel, Territory, and Gruner + Jahr employees are expressly excluded from participating. The prizes may not be paid out in cash. The winners will be drawn at random. The organizer’s decision is final.

Rooms that sprawl into each other, delicate arches, doors and stairs that lead nowhere. The Spanish sculptor Xavier Corberó connected eight old buildings near Barcelona to form a single, maze-like house, and added extensions to create a brilliantly confusing masterpiece of stone, glass and concrete.