The Gadabout Map

Bryan arrived home on Friday, July 20 at JFK Airport, having been gone since June 4th. We had a long drive through traffic and drizzle but we were there in plenty of time to grab a coffee and wait. It was great to see him - he looked good! Healthy, happy, clean, nice haircut. He looked after himself quite well.

Then we had a long drive home, which was nice because we got to hear all about his trip. He enjoyed his bonus day in Zurich. Said his fav city was probably Krakow, but enjoyed so many of the cities, including Munich and Amsterdam.

Bryan's route

He's been back over a week already and is settling into life at home. He's looking forward to starting work in  Sep and saving for his next long trip! He's got the travel bug even more now.

And speaking of bugs ... he did not encounter any bed bugs. Phew.

Lucky me

Celebrating my birthday at Grato Restaurant last night

Birthday cards

That time of the year again! It's so fun to open cards, and read through facebook posts and emails from friends nearby and far away.

Here's an eCard that I enjoyed! It is so true! I think my Dad gave out cigars - the thing to do then, which of course, is a no-no these days.

We're heading out to dinner soon.

A final day in Zurich

Bryan's journey home is like his journey to Europe - interrupted by circumstances beyond his control.

Don woke up during the night and put Bryan's flight into his flight tracker app (honestly Don has become a smart phone app addict) and expected to see Bryan's flight path making its way to the west. Instead he saw that Bryan's flight was cancelled. He was to go from Paris to Zurich, which he did, then Zurich to Newark. In Zurich weather was bad so all flights cancelled.

He was in some massive line to re-book when Don called him. It was easier for Don to re-book him by phone, but its not until tomorrow and he lands at JFK, rather than our convenient Newark airport. Don told Bryan he could book a hotel on us - live it up his last night - but he has found a hostel near the train station. He didn't make it to Zurich on his travels so it could be viewed as a bonus to spend a day getting to know another city.
Still, no birthday arrival for me.

Its okay, I'm just happy to hear he's okay. That is always a gift.

France

What's with France and their gypsies?!  We have gypsy stories too - all in France. They are everywhere like pesky gnats. Here's Bryan's encounter today: 

Just about to leave for the train station here in Lyon. I couldn't find a hostel for a second night unfortunately because it's pretty nice here. I'm going to Clermont-Ferrand for 2 nights. They have some buildings there and a dormant volcano overlooking the town so it sounds like there will be enough to do. 

I had a pretty interesting first experience of Lyon yesterday just before dad called. There were these gypsy kids hanging out by the ticket gates in the metro by the train station. When they hear the ticket machine give you change they run over and ask for it. One boy runs over to me, he's probably about 8-10 years, and tries to grab the change before I can. I reacted fast enough and grabbed both his hands with one of mine then grabbed my change with the other. When I let go he follows me to the gates pretending to punch and kick my legs, I was giving him looks. Then I put my ticket through the machine to open the gate and he tries to grab it as it comes out the other end, but I managed to beat him to it (it was a 24-hour pass ticket so I needed it still). Then I'm through the gate and I turn around to give him a cocky smile and he spit in my face. It wasn't anything nasty just a few drops but a really weird experience, he didn't say a word the whole time.  

Then as soon as I got on the metro 2 ladies got into a huge shouting match over one bumping the other with a stroller. It lasted a good 10 mins. It was awesome.

Clermont-Ferrand  from google images

 Bryan is just 4 hours south of Paris where he needs to be on Thursday morning to catch his plane home.

Munich & Lyon

Rec'd from Bryan on Friday, July 14 - 

Got in at six this morning its been good so far maybe going to one of the big beer gardens tonight, lots to do here. Google the tent in Munich, that's where im staying its awesome. 

Also I'm grilling up some mean sausage right now. Bought it straight from the butcher today. 

Going to Lyon Sunday.

Don spoke to Bryan today so we know he arrived in Lyon. Only a few days left in the gadabout.

Ljubljana, Slovenia bound

Today:  

On a train to the Slovenian capital. Only spending tonight and tomorrow there then night train to Munich.

Photo from Belgrade to Ljubljana train 

I asked Bryan about the hostels a few days ago:

Hostels have been decent so far on average. Some are really good for making friends. Others are more difficult but I think it depends more on the people staying there than the actual facilities. I've noticed that the cheaper the hostel, the better the people are, usually more solo travelers or just interesting people traveling on tight budgets. So I've been booking the cheapest hostels I can find for the past few weeks and it's been great. The biggest room I've stayed in so far was in Sarajevo, there were 21 beds in my room all were occupied. Also most have a checkout time of 10 or 11 and a check in time of 2 or 3. But the enforcing of those rules varies, I've been in hostels were they slam on doors to wake people up to checkout and others where you can sleep until the next person checks in. 

Our ball hockey nephew

Our nephews, Eric & Michael, are ball hockey players and just finished up their spring season. Michael was chosen to play in a ball hockey tournament that took place in my old neighborhood in Mississauga this weekend. He was kind enough to share this photo with me.

Thanks Mike! We hope you are having fun at the tournament! Very cool uniforms.

Michael (right) and one of his ball hockey teammates. 

Two decades old!

Happy 20th Birthday to our beautiful daughter.

The three of us went out for a birthday celebration dinner in Ridgewood tonight for Carolyn who is no longer a teenager. The BIG 2 - 0 !

She enjoyed opening all her cards from family, and reading texts and fb posts from friends. Thanks all.

We love you, Carolyn!!!

(We look like the family with ET laser eyes here.)

Sleeping in Belgrade

Guess which bed is mine? It's about 9 feet off the ground if you compare it to the doorway. Should be fun, first time on a triple-decker bed.


No sleepwalking tonight.

Sarajevo to Belgrade

This just texted:

Sarajevo was a lot of fun and a bit more recovered than Mostar. On train to Belgrade now for 3 nights, then starting to go back west.

Moon over Singer Island

Looking out from 3rd floor over the pool to the ocean. 

We had a perfect week in Florida. It was hot but the constant breeze along the beach kept it pleasant. We expected it to be quiet down there but it was as busy as in season, partly we suspect, because it was the July 4th holiday week.

We did most of our usual things and ate at our fav restaurants, although we always discover a few new things to do and spots to eat. Don and Carolyn went jet skiing in the inter-coastal on the day I had to work, and found a fun, rustic, marina restaurant that we tried later - great food. We also checked out an area called Northwood St., which was lined with eclectic shops and ethnic restaurants.

Don and Carolyn spent much of the time following Parise's next hockey career move and the rest of the free trade negotiations. Maybe thoughts of ice rinks kept them cool.

It was another good visit where everyone is friendly and happy to be on the beach.

"If you're lucky enough to be on the beach, you're lucky enough."

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Here's the latest installment:

Here's one of the bridge in Mostar, the main sight here.
The river is so blue and so cold, there is a group of local divers that dive off the bridge for money.



This is on the top floor of a huge abandoned building ruined by the war in the center of town.
This was a popular place for snipers to sit because of the vantage point.
These are the windows they would look out from.



View from the hole on the left in the previous picture.



Roof of that building. Guy in the yellow is from Walnut Creek, CA.



This is what about a fourth of the buildings look like here. Covered in bullet holes and half abandoned,
you can see that people have moved back into the top floors. Despite how rough the city looks
the people are some of the nicest I've met on the trip.



Bosnia and Herzegovina

Latest note sent early this a.m.:

"Good morning, almost just two weeks left for my trip it's gone so fast. Just thought I'd let you guys know I changed my mind about Dubrovnik. I'm taking a bus to Mostar today if I can get on cheaply enough then after a couple days there I'll go to Sarajevo. I've heard it's very interesting and very safe to visit these places right now as long as you avoid the mine fields and abandoned buildings. That should bring my to next weekend then I'll start heading back to Paris hitting a few places along the way."

I asked about going to Budapest since it is nearby ...

"I actually went to Budapest for a few days before I went to Split. It was awesome I wish could have had more time there but I was meeting those friends on Hvar. I stayed in a really small hostel there and met a lot of cool people. They have some really cool bars there that are built into the ruins of communist era buildings.  I also went to one of the many bath houses there just to try it out since the weather was bad. Jumped from hot water to cold water an stuff like that."

And back to USA where we are still in Florida. I worked today, while Carolyn & Don tried out jet-skiing in the intercoastal. Said it was amazing.