June 27, 2016. Almost every Hungarian man I’ve seen in Budapest has a shaved head. At first I thought it was in response to elevated summer temperatures, though the hottest […]

After visiting archaic Messini, I drove back to Kalamata to visit some friends then headed for Kiyetes and asked where to find souvlaki.  I only had 3 Euros in my pocket, and […]

I crossed a bridge from the mainland to Chalkida on the island of Euboea and drove along the south shore of the island toward Eretrea, hoping I’d find a camp site. After a hour, […]

I enjoyed the sunset views and aroma of citrus orchards as I drove southeast from Gythio along the coast toward Vigklafia where I would catch a ferry to the island of […]

I planned on leaving Kardamylli after touring the Fermor abode, but the weather had other plans.  Normally summer rains in this part of Greece are light and infrequent.  Not so […]

I drove back to Exochori to see its museum on Wednesday morning.  It is located in the former elementary school built by local villagers.  There I met Giannis Koumendeas, the […]

I spent much more time in Kardamyli that planned.  Four days to be exact.  And given that I only had the rental car for 19 days and had to travel […]

Yes, I really did.  I cried when I left, that’s how much I fell in love with the Ionian island of Kefalonia (also spelled Cephalonia).  After arriving on Poros on […]

Apologies for the belated nature of this post.  It turns out that using a folding bluetooth keyboard with my iphone is not an ideal computer system for speedy typing. Too […]

In June 2000, my mom and I spent 3 weeks in Ireland.  It was the first time I’d ever been.  Unfortunately, I haven’t been back since.  We landed in Dublin […]

I drove to the end of the spit where the dolphin sea world type show is held.  I don’t like seeing animals in captivity perform, so opted not to see […]

Armed with a map of the Baltic countries and a GPS that belonged in a computer history museum, I found my way to Klaipeda and a good (free) place to […]

I spent the day wandering around downtown Tbilsi, going to the big market near the stadium and buying a small fan to cool me off on hot nights.  I went […]

The next morning, I packed and took the metro south of Tblisi on the road to Armenia.  I was lucky to get some rides to the border where I met […]

My next ride was not so serene.  After waiting about an hour at the train station in Zugdidi, I caught a marshutka headed directly for Tblisi.  Unfortunately, 10 minutes or so out […]

I crossed the Abhazia/Georgia border by foot.  I had anticipated problems in reentering Georgia, as I’d stayed longer than I had thought in Abkhazia (30 days rather than 10).  But […]

Still in Georgia, I awoke in the north Caucasus range in the small village of Stephantsminda and found a marshutka to the road just south of Mskheta.  There I found a […]

“Look into the yellow light” said my new Finnish friend with whom I talked for 4 of the 9 hours of flight time from SFO to LHR (London Heathrow).  As […]