Travel & Exploration

USA, Black Mountains of South Dakota

Beginning in the early 1950s, Alfred Vogel journeyed throughout the United States. Here, Alfred meets with Oglala Lakota Indian Chief Ben Black Elk, the man credited with introducing Alfred Vogel to the purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). Alfred porvides an account of meeting Chief Black Elk in the May 1964 issue of the magazine, Gesundheits-Nachrichten.  Trip to the Black Mountains of South Dakota with Mrs. Vogel to meet with the Oglala Lakota Indian Chief, whose grandfather fought against Buffalo Bill (Cody): "...in the summer and autumn, my family and I journeyed deep into Indian territory, covering over 5,000 km."

Central and South America

1958–1959: Alfred journed through Central and South America to study native plants such as papaya, rocoto, chanca piedra, lapacho, luffa.

Peru

1958: Alfred Vogel purchased a 72-hectare farm in Peru (Tarapoto) where he cultivation medicinal plants, vegetables and fruit. The farm was later sold due to land reform in Peru.
_{Picture: Machu Picchu, Ruth Vogel}

Brazil, Amazon

1959: Alfred Vogel's adventurous 600-kilometer river journey along the Amazon. During this trip, Alfred attributed the fact that he never suffered from malaria nor other tropical diseases because of his daily dose of echinacea.

Kalahari Desert

1965–1969: On various trips to the Kalahari desert, Alfred researched the effects of the plant, Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) on rheumatic complaints.

Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand

1969: On a lecturing tour through Australia, New Zealnd and Tasmaia, Alfred Vogel traveled to speak about the benefits of natural products. He appeared on popular radio progams as well as television. 

Egypt

1964: Trip to Egypt. "At the time, when I looked closely at some of the mummies in Egypt, I was astonished to find thickened joints (arthritic deformations)" (Gesundheits-Nachrichten, 11.1976).

Marocco

Alfred Vogel visited Morocco (Marrakech and Rabat) and the Atlas mountains where he managed to ski.

Canada

1956: Alfred Vogel openes a health products shop and clinic in Montreal.

South Afrika, Rondebosch

1965: Alfred opened a health products shop in Rondebosch, one of the southern suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa.

Cuba

1956: Alfred Vogel paid a visit to Cuba before the Cuban revolution as Alfred Vogel pointed out in Gesundheits-Nachrichten (6.1963).

Near East

Mexico

Columbia

In 1958, Alfred Vogel traveled to Colombia, where he visited the salt mines and the underground salt cathedral of Zipaquira, 25 km from Bogota. "It was fortunate that we visited Cali, otherwise we would have formed a very wretched impression of Colombia." "...We were unable to really savour the beauty of the tropical landscape with its abundance of plants and flowers on our car journey across the country because of the dirt and poverty, which spoiled much of our enjoyment."

Mexico

In 1955, Alfred visited Mexico's Yucatan jungle, as it is called in the December 1960 issue of Gesundheits-Nachrichten: From there to Guatemala.

Argentina

1959: Flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina (Hotel Crillon, "very expensive").Vogel flew on to Brazil just two days later: Porto Alegre (Hotel Plaza), Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro. "Our Convair is swaying like a heavily laden market trader and I can only hope that it doesn't overbalance as it would be a shame for my many photos and the three books that I have written." 

_{Picture: Sugar Loaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro. Cover photo of "Gesundheits-Nachrichten" 9.1970, photo: Ruth Vogel)}

Japan, Hong Kong, Korea

From June to October 1961 Alfred Vogel traveled to Japan, Hong Kong and Korea. While on this trip, he also visited India. "The first time I visited Japan, I could feel the burgeoning of the country's suppressed vitality, both economically and above all industrially" Gesundheits-Nachrichten, 9.1974.

_{Image: Two Korean women, cover photo of "Gesundheits-Nachrichten" 2.1964. Photo: Ruth Vogel.}

India

1961: From Korea to India. There Alfred found out about India's ancient Ayurvedic medicinal system. "Aside from Indian philosophy and metaphysics that is interwoven here and there, the approach of Indian doctors is almost exactly the same as that of modern European naturopaths" Gesundheits-Nachrichten, 7.1986.

_{Image: Alfred Vogel with his first wife Sophie and daughter Ruth in front of the Taj Mahal.}

South Seas

1961: Visit to the South Sea islands of Tahiti and Moorea, later Fiji. From there to Hawaii. Alfred Vogel described his impressions in various articles in "Gesundheits-Nachrichten": "I was able to really savour all the natural wonders; I swam in unique coral reefs." "...One's eyes and heart are overcome by abundant and unexpected beauty; ...I felt so at home, because this was more or less how I had imagined paradise to be as a child."

Indonesia

1961: Alfred Vogel reports from Java. "Rarely has an island's flora made such an unforgettable impression on me as that of Java. Gigantic primeval trees … a huge variety of palms … lotus flowers …curcuma (turmeric)." Alfred Vogel also became acquainted with the durian fruit, which he later added to his A.Vogel muesli.

_{Image: rice carrier in Java, cover photo of "Gesundheits-Nachrichten" 5.1963, photo: Ruth Vogel.}

Europe

In 1919, at the age of 17, Alfred Vogel made his first trip to Italy. He travelled tirelessly all over the world throughout his life to study medicinal plants and different lifestyles. Often, Alfred gave talks, and made contacts with other advocates of naturopathy and herbal medicine.