Great people from 2010

In Rijeka it was Ivan. This guy who needed a few credits to graduate from college (and he was working on it) was a walking encyclopedia. I learned so much from him. I ordered a pizza one night (we bought beer at the hostel) and together with a guy from Scotland, we had a whale [...]

The Baby Whisperer

Ask people who know me and they’ll tell you that I do NOT like kids. I think parents are the sorriest excuse for parents and they let loose in the world today monsters without any manners, discipline, or regard for others. And I attract these monsters like flies. I have walked into an empty restaurant, [...]

“Oh, it’s raps.”

I always travel to Europe in May/June, mainly for two reasons;
1.    Fewer people, as the tourists normally show up in July.
2.    The sight of the “raps” (rapeseed) fields.
Rapeseed is a bright yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family). Rapeseed oil is used in the manufacture of biodiesel for powering motor vehicles [...]

The ski mask

If one wishes to see the daffodils in England (Wordsworth’s “Ode to Daffodils,” The Lake District, remember) one has to go in the spring, early spring. And, that time of the year it is very, very cold in England. Many years ago I thought I could brave the cold and packed my bags. Off to [...]

They arrived today!

I am so excited, like a little boy … my tickets for the Passion Play in Oberammergau have arrived! What I did not know is that, on top of the tickets, I will enjoy:
1. Shuttle service to the village (all vehicles from visitors are banned in the village). Parking will be provided on the outskirts [...]

Keep on trying

If you have not figured it out by now, I am crazy about opera. So, when we got to Vienna, I enquired about opera tickets. Was told that everything was sold out. Bummer! Die Volksoper (The State Opera House) is ranked 4th in the world after La Scala in Milan which is undisputedly # 1, [...]

Abraham, Prague and Opera

Came across a note from Abraham the other day. Abraham was a guy we met in Prague at the opera house. Whenever I travel, I always check out the opera schedule and attend as many performances as I possibly can. Prague was no exception and the first time I visited, I saw two.
When we entered [...]

The Pope and I

On this Christmas (2009) day, after I have read about the woman knocking down the Pope, my thoughts went back to the summer of 2007. We were staying in a campground outside Rome (there was no ways that I was going to drive in Rome … driving in Italy was bad enough!) and caught the [...]

Souvenirs

Most people want to bring back something from the places they have visited in order to remind them of the wonderful times experienced in various places. Given the restraint put on us by airlines, I opt for something “small:” refrigerator magnets. Yeah, like the typical American parent who will have pics of the children and [...]

“Prague is a country”

I have told everyone who wants to listen, that my favorite TV program is “The Amazing Race” that airs every Sunday night. Not only do I get tips here as to where to go in future, but I also enjoy places that I have visited. The past Sunday (November, 21) was no exception when contestants [...]

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