Kosmos

Culture, travel, fashion and culinary delights: the Kosmos pages of Lufthansa Magazin bring you interesting and useful tidbits from around the world

Mr. Know It All

Aim for the sky

Who says you need mountains to go climbing? There are plenty of alternatives in the shape of spectacular climbing walls on churches, dams and the cooling towers of nuclear power plants.

Awesome walls

Built 150 years ago, St. Alban’s Church in Liverpool, England, inspires aspiration to other spheres. Today, visitors no longer come here to pray, but to climb its venerable walls, including an overhanging 17.5-meter lead wall.

Powerful thrill

The cooling tower of the former nuclear reactor in Kalkar, Germany, stands 58 meters high and has been repurposed as a climbing wall. If you prefer a different kind of thrill, there’s a roller coaster next door.

Head in the clouds

Surrounded by authentic Alpine peaks, the steep wall of the Lago di Luzzone reservoir in Switzerland offers a unique challenge: It is the world’s highest artificial climbing wall with 650 holds over a vertical distance of 163 meters.

My favorite photo

These young footballers belong to the local football academy in Bouaké, Ivory Coast. The midday heat probably added to their fierce determination.

Krakau, Polen

Conciliatory culture

Soapbox speeches won’t achieve respect and understanding. The 28th Jewish Culture Festival, held in the former Jewish quarter of Kraków, Kazimierz, fosters them with music, guided tours, workshops and readings (June 22-July 1).

jewishfestival.pl

Japan

Age is just a number

Japanese striker Kazuyoshi Miura, aka King Kazu, is now playing the 33rd season of his career: At 51, the contemporary of Maradona, Platini and Rummenigge is the world’s oldest soccer pro.

National sports around the world

Culture clash

Soccer’s fine, but in Mexico and Bhutan, and on the Philippines, many people find other traditional sports even more exciting.

WILD AND WESTERN

Charros, Mexico’s cowboys, demonstrate their prowess with horses before huge audiences. Their charreada, a mix of different equestrian sports, is similar to the U.S. rodeo – and a bone of contention among animal rights activists.

BOW AND ARROW

The local soccer ground is to Germany what the archery range is to Bhutan: Every village, however small, has one, and everyone turns up at competitions. A hit from 140 meters away is celebrated with a traditional victory dance.

CUT AND THRUST

Arnis, better known as Filipino Martial Arts, is the national sport of the Philippines. Not only are hands and feet allowed as weapons, but in some contests also sticks, knives, daggers and swords.

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