TRAVELING

By now most of you who read my previous posts must be sick of the family history.  (Assuming that there are some who actually read my blog – from the feedback or the number of signed up followers this number must be minuscule).

Why traveling? Perhaps it is because as I write this I am sitting on a plane between Atlanta and Houston. When I was growing up my parents taught my brother and me an important lesson. Do not spend your money on materialistic things; like expensive cars or a vacation house, or god forbid jewelry.  (I managed to get married twice and bought only two wedding rings; one per wife). It was not because of my parents’ high ethical or moral standards that called for denouncing materialistic values. No, this teaching stemmed from my parents’ and grandparents’ life experiences. Things can be taken away, memories, adventures and experiences stay with us for life. As it happens, their “things” have been taken away twice, first by the Nazis than later by the Communist. So in order for not to lose my memories, I might as well start jotting them down.

Of course I already missed out writing about some of the most memorable trips of my life. I did not write about how in Guatemala, Joanna and I climbed a live volcano, she half way on horseback and I all the way leaning on a stick to give me at least a third leg to compete with her four legged porter. At the crater it was so hot that the dogs that followed us all the way up could barely stand; they rolled over and lay on their back begging for food. And we were the only ones who could not eat our sandwiches, because we felt obliged to share or rather give them to the starving dogs. And I also did not write about how we refused military escort to the newly discovered Mayan ruins. We were assured it would be a real safe trip, but somehow I do not like to take safe trips where I must have military escort. And all this, just shortly after we survived a highly dangerous zip line tour above the jungle.  No, the danger was not in the zip line itself. The danger was presented by our fellow traveler, a kind and brave American woman, who we happened to meet in the jungle of Guatemala. She was, and I am not exaggerating, way north of 500 pounds.  She had a hard time climbing up to the starting point of our zip line because her hip circumference was just about the same as the protective cage around the stairs. And then, try to imagine hanging on the line - 100 yards above the canopy of the jungle - and watch as a human canon ball is barreling down towards you at the speed of a lightning bolt. This is what Joanna experiences. Many things went through her mind: “Is the wire strong enough, is she going to crush me when she inevitably catches up with me?” They were Joanna’s thoughts, because I being the cautious and generous person I am, let her go first right before tons of fun took the ride.  I hung back and watched. Somebody had to be there in case we needed pictures for insurance purposes.

I also missed writing about our excursion between gigantic phallic symbols in Cappadocia, Turkey. Amazing, not sure if we were on Earth or on the Moon? (I know you expected me to write Heaven instead of Moon, or maybe Paradise, given the culture of the country). But it is true, Turkey is a Paradise for travelers, who want to see touristic sceneries but also want to disappear deep inside a country without other intruders. And in Turkey, you can do that. Take Konya. We did not plan to go there, but ended up there. Perfect place. Birthplace of the swirling dervishes.

Then experience being totally lost in the main railway station of the capital Ankara, with no signs in English and nobody to help you with any information. But you arrive there on a truly modern, high-speed train. You must love it.

So now I am brushing up on my Russian. It is like trying to brush my hair. Nothing to brush, but unlike my hair, that used to be dense and plentiful, my Russian has never existed. How I wish now that I attended classes instead of playing table tennis in the basement of my high school! I did not learn to play well and I certainly did not learn Russian. Our plan is to hop over to St. Petersburg in the summer. If we ever manage to get a visa, that is. One would not know that Russia is not run by the Communist bureaucrats any more.  Or is it? Thank god for the European passport we shall be there. And I will write about it.


For more pictures click the yellow highlights: 

GUATEMALA                                       TURKEY            

If you enjoy reading about traveling check out my friend's blog here    INDIA