tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487235464886881282024-03-13T14:42:01.202-04:00The Road Junkies<i>Our travels as we heed the call of the road, searching for letterboxes along the way</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger868125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-45634238089357002892019-05-15T17:34:00.000-04:002019-05-23T10:28:44.467-04:00Dwelling on the Past<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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STEPPING INTO THE PAST: EPILOGUE<span id="goog_769614225"></span></div>
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<b>Our 43-Day Journey around the Mediterranean: 31 March—11 May 2019</b></div>
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When we began planning this journey, we were focused on visiting some countries in Europe that we had not been to in the past. During our research, we realized that this part of the world is steeped in a long history, and that became our focus. From Athens to Aqaba, Paphos to Petra, and in between, we were awed by the resourcefulness and acumen of the ancient peoples who inhabited these lands.<br />
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Our dependence on the vagaries of airline routing and scheduling prevented us from going logically from point A to B to C. However, compared to the dependence on sailing ships of those who preceded us thousands of years ago, we have no complaints. We were able to see the places we wanted to go quite efficiently by that measure.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">GALAXIDI, GREECE, ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SMALLER TOWNS</span></td></tr>
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As with all travel, we had some pleasant surprises and some disappointments. We learned a lot about history and even a bit about ourselves and our limits. With a few exceptions, the people we interacted with were pleasant and kind. Even in the tension-prone Middle East, we never felt unsafe. Most of the places we visited left us feeling no further need to return. Greece, Spain and the United Kingdom, however, are calling us to come back.<br />
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• <b>Days on the Road: </b>43<b> </b><br />
• <b>Air Miles: </b>17,341<br />
• <b>Road Miles:</b> 3,064<br />
• <b>Foot Miles:</b> 253<br />
• <b>Total Miles: </b>20,658<br />
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• <b>Countries visited:</b> 8 [UK, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Spain, Andorra, Jordan, Israel]<br />
• <b>Hotels:</b> 21 [ Best: Barcelona Hilton | Worst: Akotika Acre ]<br />
• <b>Flights: </b>11<br />
• <b>Airlines:</b> 9 [ Best: Emirates | Worst: Vueling ]<br />
• <b>Rental cars: </b>6 <br />
• <b>Subway rides:</b> 68 <b> </b><br />
• <b>Highest gas:</b> $9.56/gallon (Israel)<br />
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• <b>Warmest temp: </b>100° (Arad, Israel, 5/2)<br />
• <b>Coldest temp: </b>41° (London, England, 5/9)<br />
• <b>Photos taken:</b> 3,136<br />
• <b>Letterboxes: </b>Found 3, Planted 9<br />
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• <b>Tour buses:</b> too darn many!<br />
• <b>Goats & sheep on the road:</b> 5,635<br />
• <b>Camels: </b>1,844<br />
• <b>Free Range Cats:</b> 3,638<br />
• <b>Artifacts awaiting reunion:</b> 287,099,583<br />
• <b>Street markets:</b> 15<br />
• <b>Wildflowers: 9</b>5,278,114<br />
• <b>Cruise ship groups on land tours:</b> 264<br />
• <b>Ancient theaters:</b> 15<br />
• <b>Bottles of Water Consumed:</b> 124<br />
• <b>Olive Trees:</b> 847,809<br />
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• <b>Favorite Days: </b>Drive to Delphi, Greece (4/9) & Train to Cambridge, England (5/9)<br />
• <b>Favorite Large Cities: </b>Athens | Barcelona | London<br />
• <b>Favorite Small Cities:</b> Galaxidi, Greece | Paphos, Cyprus | Nafplion, Greece<br />
• <b>Best Scenic Drives:</b> Barcelona to Andorra<br />
• <b>Favorite Cemetery:</b> First Cemetery, Athens<br />
• <b>Most Hospitable Locals:</b> British<br />
• <b>Best Historic Sites: </b>Jarash | Petra | Acropolis<br />
• <b>Favorite Museums: </b> Acropolis Museum | Olympic Torch Museum<br />
• <b>Favorite Canal</b>: Corinth Canal, Greece<br />
• <b>Best Military Ceremony:</b> Guards at Tomb of the Unknown, Athens<br />
• <b>Coolest Rock Formations:</b> Wadi Musa, Jordan<br />
• <b>Most Convenient Subway Service: </b>Barcelona & London<b> </b><br />
• <b>Cleanest Subway Stations & Cars:</b> Athens<br />
• <b>Most Fabulous Architecture:</b> Athens | Barcelona | Cambridge<br />
• <b>Best Bridge: </b>Rio-Antirio Bridge over Gulf of Corinth<br />
• <b>Most Brilliant Roadside Idea:</b> Greek highway relief stations at frequent intervals<br />
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• <b>Worst Judgment Call: </b>Thinking we would spend the night in a tent in the desert<b> </b><br />
• <b>Oops, We Did It Again: </b>Misjudged the effect of Easter weekend<b> </b><br />
• <b>Most Deceptive Marketing:</b> "European Business Class" (economy by another name)<br />
• <b>Ugliest Road Surprise:</b> Unmarked speed bumps (Jordan)<br />
• <b>Biggest Automobile Excess: </b>Malta <b> </b><br />
• <b>Most Excessive Airport Security Screening:</b> Amman Airport<br />
• <b>Most Neglectful of Street Cats: </b>Cyprus<br />
• <b>Rudest Drivers: </b>Israel<br />
• <b>Biggest Disappointments: </b>Shattering of the Jordanian hospitality myth<br />
<span style="color: white;"> • <b>Biggest Disappointmenst: </b></span>Disappearance of Israeli hospitality<br />
• <b>Worst Litter:</b> Jordan<br />
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• <b>Biggest Surprise: </b> Accidentally walking into a funeral at First Cemetery, Athens<br />
• <b>Most Unique Architecture: </b>Maltese balconies<br />
• <b>Picnickiest Country: </b>Jordan<br />
• <b>Most Pampered Street Cats: </b>Athens<br />
• <b>Why Hadn't We Heard of This? </b>European "Business" Class<br />
• <b>Most Contrived Tourist Site: </b>Aphrodite's Rock, Cyprus<b> </b><br />
• <b>Biggest Turtle Population per Pond: </b>National Gardens, Athens<br />
• <b>Oldest Tree: </b>1,700-year-old olive tree, Cyprus<b> </b><br />
• <b>Most Wildflowers:</b> Cyprus<br />
• <b>Most Ornate Church Decor:</b> St. John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta<br />
• <b>Most Motorcycles per Capita:</b> Barcelona<br />
• <b>Most Hitchhikers: </b>Jordan<b> </b><br />
• <b>Sorry We Missed: t</b>he Greek islands<br />
<span style="font-family: "\22 helvetica neue\22 " , "\22 arial\22 " , "\22 helvetica\22 " , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">31 MARCH 2019—11 MAY 2019</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Images from the Trip</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ZAPPEION BUILDING COURTYARD, ATHENS</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">FIRST CEMETERY, ATHENS</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ONE OF ATHENS' TREASURED STREET CATS</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">COLORFUL PITAKI STREET IN ATHENS</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiX38Pfcs9BJuY_FF9b6kYFMl3OXLHEzUicH1VCo2KM_OrH4-15tPOoSjyk8X_TVOvcPyuHfST_8r1w8NvYAQo06uiA5f70zLT91U3W4dd154eTHdSdPW9AB6gzTKlxP13J6CaB2Zis8/s1600/88704572-EBEF-432E-993A-C595653FB734.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1021" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiX38Pfcs9BJuY_FF9b6kYFMl3OXLHEzUicH1VCo2KM_OrH4-15tPOoSjyk8X_TVOvcPyuHfST_8r1w8NvYAQo06uiA5f70zLT91U3W4dd154eTHdSdPW9AB6gzTKlxP13J6CaB2Zis8/s640/88704572-EBEF-432E-993A-C595653FB734.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SPECTACULAR RIO-ANTIRIO BRIDGE, GULF OF CORINTH</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiise9WOK_B8Oiq_PA-pjq7qtsUxUHL9pqBqgCLTxB9lzCWriB3pVgg7AW1ueHW4IVEH9YUyPqE9R1uRwiXbnPLPkTwI5rSK0o026abqldzjErWUnrALFt9oPApF11loUuFZyQifF_esBQ/s1600/887E2A50-6834-4C10-AEA8-FB7505B99546.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiise9WOK_B8Oiq_PA-pjq7qtsUxUHL9pqBqgCLTxB9lzCWriB3pVgg7AW1ueHW4IVEH9YUyPqE9R1uRwiXbnPLPkTwI5rSK0o026abqldzjErWUnrALFt9oPApF11loUuFZyQifF_esBQ/s640/887E2A50-6834-4C10-AEA8-FB7505B99546.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">BUMPER CROP OF WILDFLOWERS IN CYPRUS</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgj-Hrx0eeyZtMTXqe4HxHoDFR2fawwb_w-V8_uziVuOz9EThUZJb2qp5_oj5JDQOpMERBm0TvkRIll2aeorvBRFd8qxgo_C0rHtyXA0u0PVHus2i2vAtz3PfRqf7E-pIBuvtKbGGIZU/s1600/543369D4-B1E1-4EB0-B042-0CDAE46B9AC3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgj-Hrx0eeyZtMTXqe4HxHoDFR2fawwb_w-V8_uziVuOz9EThUZJb2qp5_oj5JDQOpMERBm0TvkRIll2aeorvBRFd8qxgo_C0rHtyXA0u0PVHus2i2vAtz3PfRqf7E-pIBuvtKbGGIZU/s640/543369D4-B1E1-4EB0-B042-0CDAE46B9AC3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">STUMBLED UPON THE STUNNING CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF VICTORY IN VALLETTA </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFv17-iVHAbY2OtP4EJ2iDFZprQZJzxutiAVBIDf5Prr203WPsKwf46AMk9nPmi5e9NxPmyRe-IgXZ4qrCrIBD3o8euvadXsyVZEu5AA8mDcSJ0jG1_CNPwLZaKhKry_ZQcnHCsH349Q/s1600/DA4D1C3C-CEF8-45E4-8137-F653516073BA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFv17-iVHAbY2OtP4EJ2iDFZprQZJzxutiAVBIDf5Prr203WPsKwf46AMk9nPmi5e9NxPmyRe-IgXZ4qrCrIBD3o8euvadXsyVZEu5AA8mDcSJ0jG1_CNPwLZaKhKry_ZQcnHCsH349Q/s640/DA4D1C3C-CEF8-45E4-8137-F653516073BA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">MALTESE BALCONIES, A GREAT WAY TO EXPAND YOUR SQUARE FOOTAGE</span> </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvndjeixuOUUoCHyA17KEfApZ1a5CSKbIbrbXwZPib_nbjs3ooR_34YNKzo7LCMEf8_ylm8MuII4-7GDl5PM1gOd6iZERWGM49RsqpI69feA3TCkzzJ9-IfcQCeFNOhWlFPOuxQnS-OE/s1600/8795EF3F-4363-45B4-BAD4-34C2E0DE4D60.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvndjeixuOUUoCHyA17KEfApZ1a5CSKbIbrbXwZPib_nbjs3ooR_34YNKzo7LCMEf8_ylm8MuII4-7GDl5PM1gOd6iZERWGM49RsqpI69feA3TCkzzJ9-IfcQCeFNOhWlFPOuxQnS-OE/s640/8795EF3F-4363-45B4-BAD4-34C2E0DE4D60.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ARCHITECTURAL EYE CANDY IN BARCELONA</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3xD2iU9qIIR-7pFjCDJl8pRODpLRdF43nC__fpUjYdkDL7pHnZbCDo5zp2VddLGK60PyrVl9jhzfVROzAgezolVXtuj6B83kiNhqrDGQ3vXpPnWV4qVRbom6e_UJt4LjHWXlD9n-yCw/s1600/AF0F7026-F77F-4714-8D29-10C5DB4DA7C6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3xD2iU9qIIR-7pFjCDJl8pRODpLRdF43nC__fpUjYdkDL7pHnZbCDo5zp2VddLGK60PyrVl9jhzfVROzAgezolVXtuj6B83kiNhqrDGQ3vXpPnWV4qVRbom6e_UJt4LjHWXlD9n-yCw/s640/AF0F7026-F77F-4714-8D29-10C5DB4DA7C6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CLEVEREST MERCHANDISE DISPLAY: EARRINGS IN BARCELONA</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaj82ZBmTdEHLcgYOEqo1jMMFVYdIW8J6fhJbrd4usdq_p2FdCrS0N24JRYz3uQOPE00KxIaxJEFJG_7haq6BvTQCl_ir6kYzCqQnyUDNycr2QCG8QLwR__YOm-udcSbHbujLY2Az-bkw/s1600/0DC6774B-1C2B-4686-9413-3B187D30E24A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaj82ZBmTdEHLcgYOEqo1jMMFVYdIW8J6fhJbrd4usdq_p2FdCrS0N24JRYz3uQOPE00KxIaxJEFJG_7haq6BvTQCl_ir6kYzCqQnyUDNycr2QCG8QLwR__YOm-udcSbHbujLY2Az-bkw/s640/0DC6774B-1C2B-4686-9413-3B187D30E24A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">THE ICONIC VIEW OF PETRA'S TREASURY</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2xirSVUr6_LMIWG0cFB5T_JTk0K-dxgPNY73VyP5IdDzBFxu7I5zMSRkwHoGJc-rSAFT0RN-v2V067useegdmE7vb2fPjliUegQo16MAYalAyI9DpFt_VjqAKHxM8KELA9-c5hrLI9E/s1600/4F18E7E9-602D-4873-A7F0-2E51D86C1A32.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2xirSVUr6_LMIWG0cFB5T_JTk0K-dxgPNY73VyP5IdDzBFxu7I5zMSRkwHoGJc-rSAFT0RN-v2V067useegdmE7vb2fPjliUegQo16MAYalAyI9DpFt_VjqAKHxM8KELA9-c5hrLI9E/s640/4F18E7E9-602D-4873-A7F0-2E51D86C1A32.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">WHY DOESN'T JORDAN'S JARASH GET MORE ATTENTION?</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish8UJ-32pNVMARgMRn_gWz07Gj1DQfySXEUwx_dQyNDHmwVIU0FApNqnk880-AXO-UaV2gip2A_bZtgE6YmAx6lKx9Z9EAdZBMEHQmQVHgMd4YTSuXNEClWqeHNP5Z5RIjqkWU9-2L1Q/s1600/7591C858-8FEA-418D-92A2-BA8D1B8C0595.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish8UJ-32pNVMARgMRn_gWz07Gj1DQfySXEUwx_dQyNDHmwVIU0FApNqnk880-AXO-UaV2gip2A_bZtgE6YmAx6lKx9Z9EAdZBMEHQmQVHgMd4YTSuXNEClWqeHNP5Z5RIjqkWU9-2L1Q/s640/7591C858-8FEA-418D-92A2-BA8D1B8C0595.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">NIMROD'S FORTRESS, JUST ONE OF ISRAEL'S OUTSTANDING NATIONAL PARKS</span> </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IQ-bGa7Zlxwu0Tj63Et0spTGTJk6TDTJTYdu48xd7s5ucEk6uPeb1g5t1Ejcl_UpsuejD_JkegNDaje_eVedirGSxQ4TJupC1q6KgW8wXT8ZH6u5D8v7nOqOVztfdPY9ZsTU_VRB8xM/s1600/CA2E742D-4EEE-40FC-9BA4-4617DB9248CC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IQ-bGa7Zlxwu0Tj63Et0spTGTJk6TDTJTYdu48xd7s5ucEk6uPeb1g5t1Ejcl_UpsuejD_JkegNDaje_eVedirGSxQ4TJupC1q6KgW8wXT8ZH6u5D8v7nOqOVztfdPY9ZsTU_VRB8xM/s640/CA2E742D-4EEE-40FC-9BA4-4617DB9248CC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">RUINS OF THE NABATAEAN CITY OF AVDAT IN CENTRAL ISRAEL</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLzpbmKLOlVoOxeCLTg1j6Zb8CK_6T6rxvzD1i2_HJ547gYTHL-Cwf-Kj5Y8Zrbl8p2rsKNO39f7ySylnaHw-qW5rIVEbgb8Fg3CnQR75x6Lh5JtJV-EghUH4ofc8kCyeoBB20DgpqtM/s1600/93E944EC-CA1A-46F6-BC77-ECBFE728DF5E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLzpbmKLOlVoOxeCLTg1j6Zb8CK_6T6rxvzD1i2_HJ547gYTHL-Cwf-Kj5Y8Zrbl8p2rsKNO39f7ySylnaHw-qW5rIVEbgb8Fg3CnQR75x6Lh5JtJV-EghUH4ofc8kCyeoBB20DgpqtM/s640/93E944EC-CA1A-46F6-BC77-ECBFE728DF5E.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">CONVENIENT SAINSBURY'S LOCAL NEAR OUR LONDON HOTEL</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHx8-ZGndn5Dbgtq923RM5hNZp-4B31A81_uI0eDyTsV8VAYi3LQop8ZgXfHIuQq-Bo2ZNEAHWE1NA3ykMHhBLs7G3Qbm5FVmwKx_JrAl2bFhZD6CEEVxTku0ayTa_wEsZsiT9h8yxcAM/s1600/A0D00830-3426-410B-A59B-2CAE1C1A2A06.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1179" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHx8-ZGndn5Dbgtq923RM5hNZp-4B31A81_uI0eDyTsV8VAYi3LQop8ZgXfHIuQq-Bo2ZNEAHWE1NA3ykMHhBLs7G3Qbm5FVmwKx_JrAl2bFhZD6CEEVxTku0ayTa_wEsZsiT9h8yxcAM/s640/A0D00830-3426-410B-A59B-2CAE1C1A2A06.jpeg" width="470" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">MEMORIAL CHAPEL AT CAMBRIDGE AMERICAN CEMETERY</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHr5gpb3nQYGq1S3XVQ6G5FsJMsX6mDRivsMXHKqGKFp2X0nBZMqNMmtATV_SnIuLFK29gI9djIHid4lT_Eg0J6e35HBDMVoJ4DZWdgacRirAhx9bbDDdSktL3jdrbj2BejIkFzYI-cM/s1600/954D1056-0367-4078-8965-82FB8BE2F172.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHr5gpb3nQYGq1S3XVQ6G5FsJMsX6mDRivsMXHKqGKFp2X0nBZMqNMmtATV_SnIuLFK29gI9djIHid4lT_Eg0J6e35HBDMVoJ4DZWdgacRirAhx9bbDDdSktL3jdrbj2BejIkFzYI-cM/s640/954D1056-0367-4078-8965-82FB8BE2F172.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">NO PROBLEM FINDING EXIT AT LONDON TUBE STATIONS</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-37014961178368244522019-05-11T17:15:00.000-04:002019-05-18T13:11:05.820-04:00Thank You, Britain 🇬🇧<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBgxUJkTCTy8vM0PiW6aEBjUzX57SchiT5xL6P2qP_M1BCIrANDHLdQD0mQiOX7-M3LtwuttUnq8kUGxANW-JRkTJmpp4jlCPoUVn5G2HgdhIsa9grfkAV1x3pMNiWjA3sM1IVqShyphenhyphen2E/s1600/6FB30610-0C8B-4F54-B333-3A4725AE96B6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLBgxUJkTCTy8vM0PiW6aEBjUzX57SchiT5xL6P2qP_M1BCIrANDHLdQD0mQiOX7-M3LtwuttUnq8kUGxANW-JRkTJmpp4jlCPoUVn5G2HgdhIsa9grfkAV1x3pMNiWjA3sM1IVqShyphenhyphen2E/s640/6FB30610-0C8B-4F54-B333-3A4725AE96B6.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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STEPPING INTO THE PAST, CHAPTER 9: IN WHICH OUR FAITH IS RESTORED</div>
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<strong>Days 39-43: Israel to London to Home.</strong> If one wanted to devise the perfect antidote to Israeli rudeness, you couldn't do much better than hanging out among the British for a few days. When we decided to take our leave of Israel early, we just tacked on the extra days to our stop in London. We were glad we did. It was so refreshing and restorative to be treated kindly and respectfully.<br />
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Rain was in the forecast at least part of the day for most of our time in London, but since we were in a winding down mode on our way home, it suited us perfectly. In fact, a solid morning of downpour on Wednesday afforded our first opportunity to have our clothes mechanically washed in 40 days. After six weeks of hand washing, we were giddy over the prospect of putting our laundry in a machine to wash and then transferring it to a tumble dryer, a rarity in Europe, where they're considered energy hogs. (Yes, we booked a room in a Residence Inn exactly for this amenity.)<br />
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In addition to wandering around London, our primary excursion was a train trip to Cambridge, sixty miles north. We've had the city and its Uni rival Oxford on our list for a while and thought we might visit both. But the weather dictated differently, and we prioritized Cambridge because we recently learned that our brother-in-law's father, a casualty of World War II, was buried in an American military cemetery there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinR4Zxt98vzkIpvrmsyjIdcFoyfK8Gsl67yGtqvDvKCbZnWu-XGZOrMvQ22qRNIJFDpQ_lJCtnYHhqUpupOQ7KGeVmI6jMGT8o4JMdSfNoLaMSzflCpEaaJVk9RC7IAUqco_CwZfbkjCY/s1600/CambridgeCemetery-wikipedia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="750" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinR4Zxt98vzkIpvrmsyjIdcFoyfK8Gsl67yGtqvDvKCbZnWu-XGZOrMvQ22qRNIJFDpQ_lJCtnYHhqUpupOQ7KGeVmI6jMGT8o4JMdSfNoLaMSzflCpEaaJVk9RC7IAUqco_CwZfbkjCY/s640/CambridgeCemetery-wikipedia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cambridge American Cemetery (photo from Wikimedia)</td></tr>
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Once the United States entered World War II, American forces streamed into Britain. Over the course of the war, more than 3 million Americans were stationed in the UK at one time or another, fighting and dying alongside their British allies. In 1943, the University of Cambridge donated a 30-acre plot of land for a temporary cemetery to shelter the remains of United States soldiers who lost their lives in battle.<br />
<br />
At the close of the war, the British government authorized the use of this land as a permanent burial ground for Americans whose lives were sacrificed in the war. Many who had been temporarily interred in other parts of the country were transferred to the Cambridge cemetery before its official dedication in 1956. In addition to the 3,800 buried there, a 500-ft wall memorializes more than 5,100 additional Americans who were Missing in Action, Lost or Buried at Sea. Included among these is Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., brother of the late President, who was lost at sea in his first mission as a bomber pilot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuUbr-y5o259qYj17F6LQFBTCwBZl_9TID-b7x8gVWL6t_8MtEOrDWvjTIPUcoUaXySoUAAoSA8XuGBDFj74m1vF4Oc3WC2v4vGAelEbZV7fwHvbCknlVQiBcsF0XCT4DiZxE0pICZwo/s1600/BD7DC4C4-DCC6-4969-88D8-18B825A33C96.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuUbr-y5o259qYj17F6LQFBTCwBZl_9TID-b7x8gVWL6t_8MtEOrDWvjTIPUcoUaXySoUAAoSA8XuGBDFj74m1vF4Oc3WC2v4vGAelEbZV7fwHvbCknlVQiBcsF0XCT4DiZxE0pICZwo/s640/BD7DC4C4-DCC6-4969-88D8-18B825A33C96.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall of the Missing</td></tr>
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When we asked Suzie, the visitor center associate on duty, to help us locate the grave of Sgt. Adams, she could not have been kinder. Extending the warmest sympathy, she located the needed information and asked whether we wanted the grave to be "dressed." Unsure what that meant, we responded affirmatively since it was clear from her tone that it was a way of honoring our niece and nephew's grandfather. She excused herself and returned with a silver bucket containing a number of items.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho334Y_VNgX_u1r15xIkeCJVbXRWLJ5xh9yes9II_bnMi00LP2B-KvdnIQA9T9C1SgFtjDdVlgV2eASOHrlgGj16TlSaRnC389qrDyyyfz8vGRJufWgxY9dhcb7-rQMfZ8jVY5PNevTGU/s1600/3B536E41-AAB1-4AF7-8EF0-1B6BBBFA464A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="1600" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho334Y_VNgX_u1r15xIkeCJVbXRWLJ5xh9yes9II_bnMi00LP2B-KvdnIQA9T9C1SgFtjDdVlgV2eASOHrlgGj16TlSaRnC389qrDyyyfz8vGRJufWgxY9dhcb7-rQMfZ8jVY5PNevTGU/s640/3B536E41-AAB1-4AF7-8EF0-1B6BBBFA464A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzie dressing the grave</td></tr>
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As she guided us to the burial spot, eight landscapers who had been mowing and trimming nearby immediately halted their work and extended their respect by standing quietly by. Suzie gave us the opportunity to take a couple of photos of the marker before she removed a small container of sand from her bucket. Meant to fill the letters of the engraving so that the name and other information stand out clearly, sand offered a temporary, harmless solution which will wash away in the next rain with no damage to the marble headstone. Significantly, the sand used by the cemetery for this purpose is brought from Omaha Beach, the section of Normandy Beach where so many Americans lost their lives in the name of freedom.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUE_IS1m8YMniirCsgBD-SRc5_vfxA2VFEoh9cfhzEgZQK1vwXypGUmij41UQZ97JEETLkpJYvZVljCKURbqAN_gf-vBumUdW2rxwtwJmlzSJY4h0TCUAVcHkhvXujPVF6YRsG9mmwgmI/s1600/271B60CC-C3F2-4297-9B6C-BDB79752BC4C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUE_IS1m8YMniirCsgBD-SRc5_vfxA2VFEoh9cfhzEgZQK1vwXypGUmij41UQZ97JEETLkpJYvZVljCKURbqAN_gf-vBumUdW2rxwtwJmlzSJY4h0TCUAVcHkhvXujPVF6YRsG9mmwgmI/s640/271B60CC-C3F2-4297-9B6C-BDB79752BC4C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The effect was remarkable.</td></tr>
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After wiping away the excess sand, Suzie planted small American and British flags beside the marker. The flags had been used to decorate graves in the cemetery during a Memorial Day ceremony. Having completed her part, she left us there to reflect. Not until we walked away from the grave and back toward the visitor center did the landscaping team resume their work. When we returned, we checked out the excellent exhibits in the center and Suzie presented a packet of information and the flags to deliver to Sgt. Adams' 98-year-old widow in Georgia.<br />
<br />
Although this was a unique situation with an extraordinarily compassionate person, it was typical of the experiences we had in our four days in and around London. Not once were we pushed or shoved, even in jam-packed rush hour Tube stations and trains. Never were we made to feel unwelcome. In fact, people eagerly engaged with us, even if just driving our taxi or selling us tickets. And always, people seemed glad to assist if we asked a question. It was just the reassurance we needed.<br />
<br />
By the time we left the cemetery, rain was threatening again, so our visit to the university campus in Cambridge was cut short. We saw just enough to whet our appetite for more and give the city a priority position on our next visit to the UK, along with Oxford.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAE2J1ni6lknCVP4qbPyPwvmnTIAv4bH1iSCkRVxbo2RIRcglayRV0NFf_4zevRUb2QJp_glFQO3UTuUIrrQdWEEunH3MQuaKd5CsGwRxhnEGPZvW74eFv0z-SXc8Btz7csmXRCxwValM/s1600/8185A266-3502-49A7-BC47-B1EA46A3E032.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1600" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAE2J1ni6lknCVP4qbPyPwvmnTIAv4bH1iSCkRVxbo2RIRcglayRV0NFf_4zevRUb2QJp_glFQO3UTuUIrrQdWEEunH3MQuaKd5CsGwRxhnEGPZvW74eFv0z-SXc8Btz7csmXRCxwValM/s640/8185A266-3502-49A7-BC47-B1EA46A3E032.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bridge of Sighs at St. John's College, said to be a favorite spot of Queen Victoria</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBJhC7F39MtSit1EQsRQyQDDwvT3o7sI6Qt28hjozeFgXn59PHC-7Oc-jJxtI7QoRLKwHd4b-cGX5gSfVupxmCsGtNNk8PUH4TQBTiS18K5M2bjhUR4x_pChCDydDpESRgoC_LpkPyrs/s1600/75A8482A-0691-413C-B943-FB71ABED462A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBJhC7F39MtSit1EQsRQyQDDwvT3o7sI6Qt28hjozeFgXn59PHC-7Oc-jJxtI7QoRLKwHd4b-cGX5gSfVupxmCsGtNNk8PUH4TQBTiS18K5M2bjhUR4x_pChCDydDpESRgoC_LpkPyrs/s640/75A8482A-0691-413C-B943-FB71ABED462A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. John's College Chapel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdo3u-gue2Gw4O9_ae81hzuysfrz9UOnSnLDH9FjTIxmZLiyUipeUj0pT02637xbCw2NhVGaqh08xLaW5ATgrlBLJM1D2C1uzPa6BdJCQkOm3OhOgtQFaq6joXN0G4pGEiEcs5s7PiRks/s1600/C7E23C9A-236F-47E5-9227-222A0B213D5C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdo3u-gue2Gw4O9_ae81hzuysfrz9UOnSnLDH9FjTIxmZLiyUipeUj0pT02637xbCw2NhVGaqh08xLaW5ATgrlBLJM1D2C1uzPa6BdJCQkOm3OhOgtQFaq6joXN0G4pGEiEcs5s7PiRks/s640/C7E23C9A-236F-47E5-9227-222A0B213D5C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main gate of St. John's College</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfYwPa_z-qKdYXRUuXK4uDXKEs7w6_O_iBEyoMxXR6TvKc47ncarSaRr8zdZNcEjVA1J_1dMv3kTvUNmixFbq5VM0lCfjz324FsigiuzzFj7jnrtkjMxCvBPDH_elEMxDNnsiVKv3WP4/s1600/AAD8D44C-26D0-4509-87CA-2346E3E30B6C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1274" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfYwPa_z-qKdYXRUuXK4uDXKEs7w6_O_iBEyoMxXR6TvKc47ncarSaRr8zdZNcEjVA1J_1dMv3kTvUNmixFbq5VM0lCfjz324FsigiuzzFj7jnrtkjMxCvBPDH_elEMxDNnsiVKv3WP4/s640/AAD8D44C-26D0-4509-87CA-2346E3E30B6C.jpeg" width="508" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front court, King's College</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZL1xxHSrRVH2kONYh7sg62GV68XkXqXXrmpI-knzvdrJYKkM0LEDM_yaR3imTlUgnibu4kcwAFjX7aM5v9JKFjXggr1LxsJM6-ukhtHT6Za-HeI76jx3nOEfXx99hZddKvpPNGim6BUU/s1600/C31C7F82-9F1A-42E2-9FC1-1658CC52A491.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZL1xxHSrRVH2kONYh7sg62GV68XkXqXXrmpI-knzvdrJYKkM0LEDM_yaR3imTlUgnibu4kcwAFjX7aM5v9JKFjXggr1LxsJM6-ukhtHT6Za-HeI76jx3nOEfXx99hZddKvpPNGim6BUU/s640/C31C7F82-9F1A-42E2-9FC1-1658CC52A491.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mathematical Bridge, Queen's College, with a rare geometric trussing technique</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Ending our trip in London wasn't exactly intentional. Though we do enjoy the city, we were just passing through because the cheap tickets we booked were between Atlanta and Heathrow. Yet it turned out to be the perfect place to end this journey and restore our faith in our fellow humans and in travel. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">TUESDAY, 7 MAY—SATURDAY, 11 MAY, 2019</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRTQiX7FK9khLii4olWTM_CpNCohj1xvysW0mdi30go7lZfdUDPQbwMtGRDnVTo8f7_GEyyCzwyHVIqE1y1smu8NoSmQVA5SZ9wPTVporMqYKZ1DK96RmTSGuEijmsRL9rN6-MLGJG2Q/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRTQiX7FK9khLii4olWTM_CpNCohj1xvysW0mdi30go7lZfdUDPQbwMtGRDnVTo8f7_GEyyCzwyHVIqE1y1smu8NoSmQVA5SZ9wPTVporMqYKZ1DK96RmTSGuEijmsRL9rN6-MLGJG2Q/s640/IMG_0541.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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</div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 9 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Jerusalem, Israel<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Atlanta, USA<br />
• <b>Air Miles: </b> 6,566<br />
• <b>Rail & road Miles: </b>214<br />
• <b>Foot Miles:</b> 32.42<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 41° to 63°, rain, partly cloudy, cloudy, more rain, sunny<br />
• <b>Subway capacity at rush hour: </b>136%<br />
• <b>What we could buy with the cash saved from last trip:</b> nothing<br />
• <b>Colleges at University of Cambridge: </b>31<br />
• <b>Rude people we encountered: </b>0<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Loved:</b> Being treated as valuable human beings.<br />
<b><br />
Lacking: </b>Sunny weather and more time to explore.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> Our visit was a great reminder of how much we enjoy traveling in the United Kingdom. We will return there soon.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQwQ6N7MF0xC61MCy4NbLXnuu0o65bgJnNdRJcnG6m-hf2R6hmJpW7a9NbvkTdouVeGqpx900Ko7RZ6AWfSXb3ZJ2Ye8jhXorscKHrb9CoM7G0vaFprSrCLkCDlseUBzC_9A7hjK-jn8/s1600/D591E8FB-3544-4DDB-84B4-76880C97732F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQwQ6N7MF0xC61MCy4NbLXnuu0o65bgJnNdRJcnG6m-hf2R6hmJpW7a9NbvkTdouVeGqpx900Ko7RZ6AWfSXb3ZJ2Ye8jhXorscKHrb9CoM7G0vaFprSrCLkCDlseUBzC_9A7hjK-jn8/s640/D591E8FB-3544-4DDB-84B4-76880C97732F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HC1y-IXPzUSL245x-IsV4cKBAY07wkoZrve_UYQBiKDbUec7VY3YO6f1_s7o3qBsACcIp0xu7mpZOS2fl6eBJmCYJ_J_j7bEL4V5u-eB4CGCg3v32uCTCyUMWib2WURHaRKaqDqpQMI/s1600/58A3DC2B-E377-4F7B-838A-077ABA926C66.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HC1y-IXPzUSL245x-IsV4cKBAY07wkoZrve_UYQBiKDbUec7VY3YO6f1_s7o3qBsACcIp0xu7mpZOS2fl6eBJmCYJ_J_j7bEL4V5u-eB4CGCg3v32uCTCyUMWib2WURHaRKaqDqpQMI/s640/58A3DC2B-E377-4F7B-838A-077ABA926C66.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our habit of taking home extra cash for a head start fell through when new notes were issued. <br />
We had to go to the Bank of England to exchange them for currency with more currency.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_8ukbIVorfLEG3ndKKqS2Q0UuDJZBSPRZTg3P4nckMyzKTtX16FhndWnqta_TNbz37ARvvJHDds4Izzyfrry_J3FOxjqls084TRTLd3jDkJ6VA5q7Vuj_v411lPzDhPL552MYFSJDP8/s1600/F74035BC-9577-42D2-BB69-3FC275EE2874.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_8ukbIVorfLEG3ndKKqS2Q0UuDJZBSPRZTg3P4nckMyzKTtX16FhndWnqta_TNbz37ARvvJHDds4Izzyfrry_J3FOxjqls084TRTLd3jDkJ6VA5q7Vuj_v411lPzDhPL552MYFSJDP8/s640/F74035BC-9577-42D2-BB69-3FC275EE2874.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These bold starlings tried to steal a snack out of my hand. Obviously not British. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Tui-MzZw0aO1cZEfXhvnMyNF0_bGsBRApfLLZR8Gb983hOoFcwN0IfU_mSsZK0mWqoODgz7HxBPqglGeJAhwgcgPwXxb_B7KP3qUBQs886JJ38o-f2Cur8E4-twkU3leVrPIInObAMc/s1600/853D944F-99E2-4861-B2AF-20150B321E9D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Tui-MzZw0aO1cZEfXhvnMyNF0_bGsBRApfLLZR8Gb983hOoFcwN0IfU_mSsZK0mWqoODgz7HxBPqglGeJAhwgcgPwXxb_B7KP3qUBQs886JJ38o-f2Cur8E4-twkU3leVrPIInObAMc/s640/853D944F-99E2-4861-B2AF-20150B321E9D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely not rush hour at King's Cross station </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQOSisi9Hlvm1aP-diKu-YbLFrUZo7C8G-bwsQSKHQW0uk57AqPmeVl5LmnwOshIXILxu2tfBjXhRBEKLTNqUP8WDQHRiMjMCuRAp3pU5sMXNK5XepjaW2kaYtaNiSX9BkXARb3QZDKA/s1600/A0D00830-3426-410B-A59B-2CAE1C1A2A06.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1179" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQOSisi9Hlvm1aP-diKu-YbLFrUZo7C8G-bwsQSKHQW0uk57AqPmeVl5LmnwOshIXILxu2tfBjXhRBEKLTNqUP8WDQHRiMjMCuRAp3pU5sMXNK5XepjaW2kaYtaNiSX9BkXARb3QZDKA/s640/A0D00830-3426-410B-A59B-2CAE1C1A2A06.jpeg" width="470" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chapel at Cambridge American Cemetery</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvRF8BHePspRET81MtXoEjh-JPjJK8y-2lBGZD3UXpnDcYUWSJklL4J_WnnqwF0JcAQtI87arRsko7uMwfdytWFIjtIEF2KYxLfihPqXgpLldlX1ChhYqCCBNCrOQhdTtaorN0D1GLyk/s1600/154000C8-6D2A-4B55-9B38-AD4FDCE2E15C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1600" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvRF8BHePspRET81MtXoEjh-JPjJK8y-2lBGZD3UXpnDcYUWSJklL4J_WnnqwF0JcAQtI87arRsko7uMwfdytWFIjtIEF2KYxLfihPqXgpLldlX1ChhYqCCBNCrOQhdTtaorN0D1GLyk/s640/154000C8-6D2A-4B55-9B38-AD4FDCE2E15C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eagle pub in Cambridge where researchers announced their discovery of how DNA carries genetic information</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApUcPsT5SShdCsPOkhhUblNYBT59lXJ-QwbrAC93KQ5weJPCoB-iI4QRE9Kxn8-taV2eT3b1sz1iCnQqFa7USgpweFPWfQPUdGExtv6TjjOxXEZLZ5v2Wu28hg77QB5Fd0JFnIrdimpo/s1600/856F14FD-7BD0-461B-84F0-AE74D1999610.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApUcPsT5SShdCsPOkhhUblNYBT59lXJ-QwbrAC93KQ5weJPCoB-iI4QRE9Kxn8-taV2eT3b1sz1iCnQqFa7USgpweFPWfQPUdGExtv6TjjOxXEZLZ5v2Wu28hg77QB5Fd0JFnIrdimpo/s640/856F14FD-7BD0-461B-84F0-AE74D1999610.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We checked out the Canary Wharf area, a financial center where niece Karoline will work next month.</td></tr>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comLondon, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-83693129231721054672019-05-07T16:59:00.000-04:002019-05-21T20:29:19.396-04:00Israel: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly 🇮🇱<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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STEPPING INTO THE PAST, CHAPTER 8: IN WHICH WE LEARN ABOUT CHANGE</div>
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<strong>Days 32-38: Jordan to Israel.</strong> After our extreme security experience in Amman and what we had read (and experienced in our 1979 visit) regarding the infamous thoroughness of Israeli scrutiny of visitors, we approached passport control with dread after landing in Tel Aviv. It turned out that our concerns were completely unfounded. The affable Israeli immigration agent was friendly and joked with us about his time spent in Atlanta working for a moving company. He stamped our immigration cards, returned our passports and sent us on our way.<br />
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Incredibly that's all there was to it. We kept waiting for the other security shoe to drop, but we were unhindered as we went to pick up a rental car and drive away to begin our Israeli road trip. On our previous visit forty years ago, we had moved around the country using public transportation—mostly a lot of intercity buses. Since our comfort level with foreign travel has grown and the Israeli road system has been modernized in the intervening years, this time, we opted to drive ourselves.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA1guwvwqvbRBTJmGjuKlqPnPY_7T4wC2TRiYoQCxzHZG4eKFoflMlI6WktgrIgCKh1mBexuvCGCvp3ifLj6n1OEzSEBIZxrnjqywoWJ2akaqHOmnKO-Un9V9SzNtbfE_pmI0Haq2Lms/s1600/A9E4A0BE-D76B-4DB5-AE75-911D0014EC3A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaA1guwvwqvbRBTJmGjuKlqPnPY_7T4wC2TRiYoQCxzHZG4eKFoflMlI6WktgrIgCKh1mBexuvCGCvp3ifLj6n1OEzSEBIZxrnjqywoWJ2akaqHOmnKO-Un9V9SzNtbfE_pmI0Haq2Lms/s640/A9E4A0BE-D76B-4DB5-AE75-911D0014EC3A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since Israel lacks the narrow country lanes common in Europe, we were able to rent a compact SUV.</td></tr>
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On our 1979 visit, we hit all the tourist highlights: Tel Aviv beaches, Masada's ancient fort, the Dead Sea swim, Safed's artist colony, Jerusalem's Old City, Galilee villages of Capernaum and Tiberias, and numerous sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Though it had been a while, we didn't expect these sites to have changed much, so they did not make the cut for our itinerary. Instead, we decided to follow the path less traveled, affording us the opportunity to see some new places and avoid the tourist hordes.<br />
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Our original plan called for spending nine days in Israel, but we left two days early. In our seven long days there, we encountered a range of experiences vastly different from our 1979 visit.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Good</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">National Parks</span></b><br />
In an area about the size of New Jersey, Israel has preserved more than 50 localities as national parks, from historic sites to settings of natural beauty. Quite a few of these made their way onto our agenda. In the far north, on he slopes of snow-capped Mount Hermon, we started with Nimrod Fortress National Park. Built in the early 1200s to defend the road from Damascus to the Mediterranean, the fortress followed the topographical conditions of the area.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its position along a cliff made Nimrod Fortress almost impregnable.</td></tr>
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On a high hill south of the Sea of Galilee, Belvoir National Park protects another impressive ancient stronghold, this one constructed in the 12th century by the Knights Hospitallers (yes, the same order of Crusaders whose history we encountered in Cyprus and Malta). The building stones and bedrock foundation of the fortress were basalt, an immensely strong volcanic rock, making it the perfect citadel for the final holdout of Crusaders in the area known as the Holy Land. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtl0S1jT6GgR9EwPHl3QYdAQF0hsxNsX6QulyZl345eAmv1QRdsswP8ZQ3P-Ii6dPM9JKWPntFFcd-NWeH4EgnkXruOtNes5RYvdPuXxq-xY2b7zy4fSboOOf_W7cjyTasPLuxgp-GA8/s1600/DACB4848-C980-41C5-9648-9EED1B1E2661.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtl0S1jT6GgR9EwPHl3QYdAQF0hsxNsX6QulyZl345eAmv1QRdsswP8ZQ3P-Ii6dPM9JKWPntFFcd-NWeH4EgnkXruOtNes5RYvdPuXxq-xY2b7zy4fSboOOf_W7cjyTasPLuxgp-GA8/s640/DACB4848-C980-41C5-9648-9EED1B1E2661.jpeg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belvoir basalt has stood the test of time.</td></tr>
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Protected by a 65-ft wide dry moat, Belvoir fortress withstood an 18-month siege in which the opposing Arab army was able to undermine only one tower. But the prolonged attack had done its job. Isolated and without supplies, the defending knights surrendered in 1189, restoring Muslims to military power in the area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHlFTyIHu96o9ZYNZf_tjBESx1bsSZvvnnTR7rS29n68XZXvQ1822bB7wZQ3bjrs4ZOaFci4hNmCtuf7BUetjks3FI91qNMae23EHVyTBg9yxJg8r5N-caFamVq3-2Rolioozs2AQA1I/s1600/908A52C6-FE33-4C34-BEBA-6DBDDB660C34.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHlFTyIHu96o9ZYNZf_tjBESx1bsSZvvnnTR7rS29n68XZXvQ1822bB7wZQ3bjrs4ZOaFci4hNmCtuf7BUetjks3FI91qNMae23EHVyTBg9yxJg8r5N-caFamVq3-2Rolioozs2AQA1I/s640/908A52C6-FE33-4C34-BEBA-6DBDDB660C34.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most scrolls were hidden in the cave at the lower left.</td></tr>
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Having seen the Dead Sea Scrolls in a Jerusalem museum on our previous visit, this time we wanted to check out the spot where they were found, now protected in Qumrun National Park. In 1952, a Bedouin shepherd discovered seven scrolls housed in jars in a cave north of the Dead Sea. Archaeologists subsequently uncovered and reconstructed numerous other ancient manuscripts dating to the 4th century BC in various caves in the area. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2cIqNQJvewyeaZwbNWYnWPsM39HSbWEoCfcbCG4eKSbJk3hZd4VhpbMrNHLmReRklvj6fvYXTb-eLv_sAK6TxgAdExymphxA9BHNCHSJttmGqfvobrpX10vWWxfO3kuY3Qz9p64YS7U/s1600/5DFF8041-CD23-49F0-9EAE-922483C96D43.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1600" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2cIqNQJvewyeaZwbNWYnWPsM39HSbWEoCfcbCG4eKSbJk3hZd4VhpbMrNHLmReRklvj6fvYXTb-eLv_sAK6TxgAdExymphxA9BHNCHSJttmGqfvobrpX10vWWxfO3kuY3Qz9p64YS7U/s640/5DFF8041-CD23-49F0-9EAE-922483C96D43.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruins at Avdat National Park</td></tr>
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Like other areas we've visited on this trip into the past, the roots of history run deep in Israel. Avdat National Park preserves the ruins of an ancient Nabatean settlement along the famous Incense Route. The same nation that built their opulent capital at Petra in Jordan constructed a series of way stations, fortresses and towers to offer protection to traders and their caravans on this lucrative trade route. Avdat was station #62 on this route from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzlaZTfT0V9RZloozUluZW12HJGVpy8-_k6dQZcPA3UYk59hByezuVvI_SLvlWgBAK5vFBKJtTzKByWdvmhRtd-LvqsvzlbJOeYM_mdgzIMaG4asnVTNmV2JUPGfDW6dkD9flpdl2Pl0/s1600/9AAF76A2-9D79-4473-90F0-0D0913D2C5ED.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzlaZTfT0V9RZloozUluZW12HJGVpy8-_k6dQZcPA3UYk59hByezuVvI_SLvlWgBAK5vFBKJtTzKByWdvmhRtd-LvqsvzlbJOeYM_mdgzIMaG4asnVTNmV2JUPGfDW6dkD9flpdl2Pl0/s640/9AAF76A2-9D79-4473-90F0-0D0913D2C5ED.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A model on site shows the layout of the ancient city of Beersheba.</td></tr>
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Like Avdat, Tel Beersheva National Park is located in the Negev Desert in southern Israel. Artifacts found at the site indicate that it was occupied as early as 4000 BC. The city was destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries, as layers of ruins attest. This was the site of the biblical city of Beersheba. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4CARS1YnNMBfbGBqa8yQSOEJOxV_bzsok_JeA7hc4xO3j_s7tyKjlH0MCR0vTNfDAlJ3ySL5dpUqWh-loC7uG5IyunU-wSFNNXrpX-gvQLYb-sdKL7utNEjVg-JF829DPVGyg6PnhiU/s1600/FF3F5BE2-0CE6-4F78-8CA6-D27186D04EE3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4CARS1YnNMBfbGBqa8yQSOEJOxV_bzsok_JeA7hc4xO3j_s7tyKjlH0MCR0vTNfDAlJ3ySL5dpUqWh-loC7uG5IyunU-wSFNNXrpX-gvQLYb-sdKL7utNEjVg-JF829DPVGyg6PnhiU/s640/FF3F5BE2-0CE6-4F78-8CA6-D27186D04EE3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gravesite of David Ben Gurion and his wife Paula</td></tr>
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Though not a national park, another site which we found fascinating was the former desert home of Israel's first prime minister, David Ben Gurion, in the town of Sde Boker. His gravesite is nearby at the university that bears his name. Though an important national hero and revered statesman, Ben Gurion stated in his will that, after his death, he wanted his humble two-bedroom home open to the general public, preserved as it was when he lived there. He stated further, "I ask that during [my] burial ceremony no eulogies will be read and no salvo fired over my grave."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDlSgcu2rwS6ni1KBCB9orJaLt9e0q3u-j8KOoo6QyVtFFOOSRdKF3wy6NnhQyced3TeowMbY_NLZTePPCmMGEvEGb9kTtManEf24mLXnYtW-MgmqJHL5XaakRxBuvSG9Xqa3jolCF9A/s1600/90DF7ED2-F20F-4058-A19D-BCCC5333ED80.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1289" data-original-width="1176" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDlSgcu2rwS6ni1KBCB9orJaLt9e0q3u-j8KOoo6QyVtFFOOSRdKF3wy6NnhQyced3TeowMbY_NLZTePPCmMGEvEGb9kTtManEf24mLXnYtW-MgmqJHL5XaakRxBuvSG9Xqa3jolCF9A/s200/90DF7ED2-F20F-4058-A19D-BCCC5333ED80.jpeg" width="181" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comparing Israel's size with Georgia</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Compact Size</span></b><br />
Thanks to its modest size—70 miles wide at its widest point by 200 miles long—Israel is easy to navigate efficiently. In fact, there are few places that can't be visited in a day trip from Jerusalem in the center of the country. Driving from the lush agricultural fields of the north to the dry and barren deserts in the south can be done in little more than an hour. This made it easy to check out a plethora of the country's fascinating archaeological and natural sites in the week we spent there.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Excellent Infrastructure</span></b><br />
Based on our experience with narrow, twisting European roads, often with little or no right of way and stone walls built at the edge of the roadway, we typically rent cars much smaller than our vehicles at home. In Israel, however, roads are more like those found in the North America—modern design, wide lanes, and well maintained. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlf2oqK2MVZ6E-Y9JwUC6usM6OuMrAwWThfJ8WRMQ7h6_0ac_M7v6s3cBvHmyqMcwb9ButD00RE85hI7mtXZ6XyC3hjhlzRYtKmTV2MvpIiDa57y_hVpwjkjb1g4cLxzQzrncBA_WsOoE/s1600/857B37E0-C90C-42C7-AC0F-9230A487DD6B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlf2oqK2MVZ6E-Y9JwUC6usM6OuMrAwWThfJ8WRMQ7h6_0ac_M7v6s3cBvHmyqMcwb9ButD00RE85hI7mtXZ6XyC3hjhlzRYtKmTV2MvpIiDa57y_hVpwjkjb1g4cLxzQzrncBA_WsOoE/s640/857B37E0-C90C-42C7-AC0F-9230A487DD6B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roadside light poles all sported zebra stripes near their bases, making them more noticeable.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Plumbing in Israel, we're happy to report, was also equivalent to Western standards. Unlike some of the other countries we've visited on this trip (yes, you too, Greece), we saw no restroom signs indicating that toilet paper could not be flushed and should be dropped in the waste can provided. Nor did we see any squat toilets.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Bad</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #783f04;">The Heat</span></b><br />
Yes, we do realize that a large swath of the south of Israel is covered by desert. And yes, we do remember the oven-baking experience of spending ten July days in Israel in '79. But we were still caught by surprise when the temperature climbed to 100° on May 2. With no shade in sight, of course.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LIbdJfcVkNCSgCHyEabvYrndq8uYF_pmhJ4C0vn97aFT9gOJiadW3YN-gtGvQIr813IbDO9OmCA8uSaaQJn3wllbzjFJM-ilrpJ6tBBgtw65pETg02-VCT_lOSPWqA4s-h8bb8pMPL4/s1600/BA52CE57-2774-4D8E-8CF5-3C176027B089.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LIbdJfcVkNCSgCHyEabvYrndq8uYF_pmhJ4C0vn97aFT9gOJiadW3YN-gtGvQIr813IbDO9OmCA8uSaaQJn3wllbzjFJM-ilrpJ6tBBgtw65pETg02-VCT_lOSPWqA4s-h8bb8pMPL4/s640/BA52CE57-2774-4D8E-8CF5-3C176027B089.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The canyon at Makhtesh Ramon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Weekly Easter</span></b><br />
We have written often of stumbling upon one Easter holiday after another when traveling, usually involving three to four days of store, museum, and other closures, leaving us a bit adrift in terms of finding meals and activities.<br />
<br />
Though Israel is technically not a theocratic state, there is no question that its ultra-Orthodox minority wields disproportionate control over the secular majority, thanks to the vagaries of coalition building in a parliamentary government. As a result, most restaurants, stores, and other businesses, as well as all public transportation, close a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish sabbath (sunset Friday) and remain closed several hours after the holy day ends at sunset on Saturday. For visitors who don't know this ahead of time, life can be a bit challenging.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKiI22FPwWLcPCGxHRf2Cz-aK2MNKCYFRBlArPTS_Sm32HP124Z_NJO-L5ONRWIpp5koOmVxy0BqydcTAP6QOL1DtQjWdJ8uzHHhwApR5QmjobT-f7k4_nMTCUuoClws7WnC9a8yp7eI/s1600/53D154DA-0DAE-445B-BC65-5D84847C16A9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKiI22FPwWLcPCGxHRf2Cz-aK2MNKCYFRBlArPTS_Sm32HP124Z_NJO-L5ONRWIpp5koOmVxy0BqydcTAP6QOL1DtQjWdJ8uzHHhwApR5QmjobT-f7k4_nMTCUuoClws7WnC9a8yp7eI/s640/53D154DA-0DAE-445B-BC65-5D84847C16A9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most tour buses per capita in the world? We wondered.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Excess Tourism</span></b><br />
As a place dear to the hearts of adherents of three major Western religions, Israel attracts almost 4 million tourists annually. At least a third of these come on large, organized tours, meaning they're moving about the country in packs on tour buses. All these tourists also have helped to drive up prices at Israeli hotels. In fact, prices in general tend to be higher in Israel. We paid the highest price for gasoline on this trip in Israel, an average of $9.56 per gallon.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Ugly</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Security Threats</span></b><br />
While we were staying in the south, rockets were launched at Israeli targets from the Gaza Strip, more than 600 over a two-day period. The morning after the attacks began, we were advised by the owner of the vacation rental where we were staying to take an easterly route on our way north to Jerusalem, rather than driving through the area beset by attacks. Until Israel and its neighbors are able to reach some accord, these types of incidents are always an imminent possibility.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Gratuitous Disrespect</span></b><br />
What really grated the most when we visited Israel was the barrage of rudeness and disrespect we encountered. We experienced it from hoteliers—repeatedly—, in public places, and especially on the road. Queue jumping seems to be the national sport as Israelis have no regard for the rights of others who have stood in line before them. When people blow off scheduled meeting times, they laugh off the fact that you have been waiting and shrug, "It's Israeli time."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-S4oNXsZiVelCWE8QgLx2NPBVIvYfHZSNo9VgurMm1sbtdg36_vhy5KZw23f96WX23kb8Q9dVuPtX6OU3RH0SHwNVBRWxR9myb3RN_LoictI2soCRs6aNJsZmt_BQlmbdcGK58LPI1g/s1600/7C6541D8-B757-41F6-9D9C-19FB43869659.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-S4oNXsZiVelCWE8QgLx2NPBVIvYfHZSNo9VgurMm1sbtdg36_vhy5KZw23f96WX23kb8Q9dVuPtX6OU3RH0SHwNVBRWxR9myb3RN_LoictI2soCRs6aNJsZmt_BQlmbdcGK58LPI1g/s640/7C6541D8-B757-41F6-9D9C-19FB43869659.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly not a place one should speed through</td></tr>
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And for some reason, Israeli drivers tend to be aggressive to the point of bullying. As we neared a police checkpoint with signage clearly indicating we should approach with caution, a truck driver behind us blasted his horn repeatedly to insist that the driver of what was a clearly marked rental car rush past the armed soldiers to save this trucker a few seconds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUT2yMjx1EoA68jxIOOKlf7N0eSwWbiW5TmhJ_UaXKX-NeEh9F2K8hC4Rh7GKCiqD0zRGXQffNw0zUP3jGeMLPCoBUdSaTFlNltonZnzT9xO3FZzQgX6DpGm3ywV1eP3gaG_OqmvflJOY/s1600/CC194C80-4DB0-43C5-BAEC-C5F16518D8C6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1600" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUT2yMjx1EoA68jxIOOKlf7N0eSwWbiW5TmhJ_UaXKX-NeEh9F2K8hC4Rh7GKCiqD0zRGXQffNw0zUP3jGeMLPCoBUdSaTFlNltonZnzT9xO3FZzQgX6DpGm3ywV1eP3gaG_OqmvflJOY/s640/CC194C80-4DB0-43C5-BAEC-C5F16518D8C6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even bus drivers don't hesitate to tailgate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the end, the rudeness was like an abrasive sandpaper that wore us down to the point we decided to depart early. Are we so sensitive that we had our feelings hurt? No, but the lack of common courtesy and disregard of personal space did get tiresome. And at the bottom line, we decided we'd rather spend our money somewhere we were treated with respect and didn't have to battle for fair treatment.<br />
<br />
When we went Israel in 1979, people were friendly and seemed to appreciate our visiting. Availability of English speakers was fairly widespread, and people would try to help us whether they spoke our language or not. Forty years later, our experience was quite different. Back then, when we were standing on a street corner looking at a map, locals would stop and ask if we needed help. Today if we stopped on a sidewalk to consult a map, we'd probably be shoved out of the way. And now we're told that visitors are being rude if they approach a local and waste his or her time asking for assistance. <br />
<br />
Israel, you need not worry. We certainly won't bother you again.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">TUESDAY, 30 APRIL—MONDAY, 6 MAY, 2019</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRTQiX7FK9khLii4olWTM_CpNCohj1xvysW0mdi30go7lZfdUDPQbwMtGRDnVTo8f7_GEyyCzwyHVIqE1y1smu8NoSmQVA5SZ9wPTVporMqYKZ1DK96RmTSGuEijmsRL9rN6-MLGJG2Q/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRTQiX7FK9khLii4olWTM_CpNCohj1xvysW0mdi30go7lZfdUDPQbwMtGRDnVTo8f7_GEyyCzwyHVIqE1y1smu8NoSmQVA5SZ9wPTVporMqYKZ1DK96RmTSGuEijmsRL9rN6-MLGJG2Q/s640/IMG_0541.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 8 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Amman, Jordan<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Jerusalem, Israel<br />
• <b>Air Miles: </b> 70<br />
• <b>Road Miles:</b> 888<br />
• <b>Foot Miles: </b>38.56<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 63° to 100°, sunny, hazy, partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Beware of Camels roadside signs:</b> 137<br />
• <b>Camels:</b> 1,145<br />
• <b>Tour buses:</b> 1,794<br />
• <b>Stores open on Friday afternoon/Saturday: </b>5%<br />
• <b>Bugs hitting windshield:</b> 37,902<br />
• <b>Courteous drivers: </b>1%<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Loved:</b> That there were plenty of interesting sites to visit away from the tourist hot spots.<br />
<b><br />
Lacking: </b>Speed limit signs. Rarely was the speed limit posted, so we were left to just guess.<br />
<br />
<b>Learned: </b> Even though much of our trip has focused on history thousands of years old, we learned that a lot can change in just 40 years.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQwQ6N7MF0xC61MCy4NbLXnuu0o65bgJnNdRJcnG6m-hf2R6hmJpW7a9NbvkTdouVeGqpx900Ko7RZ6AWfSXb3ZJ2Ye8jhXorscKHrb9CoM7G0vaFprSrCLkCDlseUBzC_9A7hjK-jn8/s1600/D591E8FB-3544-4DDB-84B4-76880C97732F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQwQ6N7MF0xC61MCy4NbLXnuu0o65bgJnNdRJcnG6m-hf2R6hmJpW7a9NbvkTdouVeGqpx900Ko7RZ6AWfSXb3ZJ2Ye8jhXorscKHrb9CoM7G0vaFprSrCLkCDlseUBzC_9A7hjK-jn8/s640/D591E8FB-3544-4DDB-84B4-76880C97732F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUditqa_6i-LG3dS6eH1axGKkoQX6G08E4mkPUxgOCGU9NamCeDmdcPBt5lkYnsAH3O6jiYdHNIzdGWMxY9kxgyKno8WE3sGOCaWJa5NMTmQcOMV_46rkRCpvLtEaqbBmyDK8iYuPTvRo/s1600/82757BFE-51F2-4C48-82C8-FF11E5D670BB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1292" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUditqa_6i-LG3dS6eH1axGKkoQX6G08E4mkPUxgOCGU9NamCeDmdcPBt5lkYnsAH3O6jiYdHNIzdGWMxY9kxgyKno8WE3sGOCaWJa5NMTmQcOMV_46rkRCpvLtEaqbBmyDK8iYuPTvRo/s640/82757BFE-51F2-4C48-82C8-FF11E5D670BB.jpeg" width="516" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Airing pillows and linens in the the old town of Acre </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3xCAlFW6OI-WjdxgTGW5eJXBVC5LIuCHKzCycZPlqHI-jZVxCV6b5P56oAXVrO_p8CnBLRatLI-dhnL2pUaVchHIGwDS6JSTAU1dVeinXgHTSJMaWPIyeaw1rhRu-cjjUuVCHhu3OqA/s1600/EFD068E2-6CEF-4679-BB23-B8C384B55313.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1190" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3xCAlFW6OI-WjdxgTGW5eJXBVC5LIuCHKzCycZPlqHI-jZVxCV6b5P56oAXVrO_p8CnBLRatLI-dhnL2pUaVchHIGwDS6JSTAU1dVeinXgHTSJMaWPIyeaw1rhRu-cjjUuVCHhu3OqA/s640/EFD068E2-6CEF-4679-BB23-B8C384B55313.jpeg" width="474" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acre's busy old town market</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJt0DWxN4Ft7A1PTktFBGJwMNUL5wsN1NNeIWj2nt4JVZXHDK4hvo9WhS8FaTfSAPQTZmG9QqtUxHb1KKr-qfjmjdhOLPbFAFYhUcUXflkpkyZyf430oVF1igxG2sJv0_Vq1qPHGnmJM/s1600/1F130692-4DE8-4EC6-A6D2-680193BC0514.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJt0DWxN4Ft7A1PTktFBGJwMNUL5wsN1NNeIWj2nt4JVZXHDK4hvo9WhS8FaTfSAPQTZmG9QqtUxHb1KKr-qfjmjdhOLPbFAFYhUcUXflkpkyZyf430oVF1igxG2sJv0_Vq1qPHGnmJM/s640/1F130692-4DE8-4EC6-A6D2-680193BC0514.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haifa's beautiful Ba'hai Gardens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_X9EQP5v-HeaV_7p3MGyucUKYyHViRRRQZxc74nq97wxQiUYkiaxpqK6FhFvJizR-VDWkRDc-_MHYT8PN6L7e8vfqbA6iv0MhYDP6fGx3JLdeh76Bq-WcMIkKKPMUX65-Ch_Mxw2U9g/s1600/2DF8F139-85E0-4BD7-93A6-0A27B1AE3FB1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_X9EQP5v-HeaV_7p3MGyucUKYyHViRRRQZxc74nq97wxQiUYkiaxpqK6FhFvJizR-VDWkRDc-_MHYT8PN6L7e8vfqbA6iv0MhYDP6fGx3JLdeh76Bq-WcMIkKKPMUX65-Ch_Mxw2U9g/s640/2DF8F139-85E0-4BD7-93A6-0A27B1AE3FB1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've seen lots of hooded crows on this trip. Their call is identical to the ones more familiar in North America. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BmtdQyuS-eq3etqankzhuhRZSPCIq4GfHp14qdLp44n9him075JLnXxs4VTz8FFn0UtD9rcLL1A15QyNhtnj8pUVgsC0JY2e_e6tkwhxW9_GVzfV_RAVPWAuA3swXpg_TArHEbYb4uw/s1600/E943ADFC-172D-4E4C-BCCA-14360322B5DC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BmtdQyuS-eq3etqankzhuhRZSPCIq4GfHp14qdLp44n9him075JLnXxs4VTz8FFn0UtD9rcLL1A15QyNhtnj8pUVgsC0JY2e_e6tkwhxW9_GVzfV_RAVPWAuA3swXpg_TArHEbYb4uw/s640/E943ADFC-172D-4E4C-BCCA-14360322B5DC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camel riding opportunity at a rest area. (Note the graphic stop sign.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLu-PSVczuOL9Mets2xTK4zxjR2KTCWnuPX7GnV76VO9P_Tm6LuMeEmUcmFWCiMr7j5tFbzS37-s6Qg57EPt2iJf5fLJ8XITz_buFpcmjVqMlAeUK2KPT72sk6ELGvi12gSLp1Czc_qR8/s1600/0570BF05-20CE-407E-A1A8-72FEDA49F0C6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLu-PSVczuOL9Mets2xTK4zxjR2KTCWnuPX7GnV76VO9P_Tm6LuMeEmUcmFWCiMr7j5tFbzS37-s6Qg57EPt2iJf5fLJ8XITz_buFpcmjVqMlAeUK2KPT72sk6ELGvi12gSLp1Czc_qR8/s640/0570BF05-20CE-407E-A1A8-72FEDA49F0C6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern tools for date farming</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQS0R3K5TselMZGgUVaLtOLl8-nO7y5Srs1jTPCykWdLqZFftd-QM9icfofT9TPhd1c449IlyJOpg5n-KgJja-6yBmqwEeEKL7Yucfk9fLG94t0Ld_vNk7ivrk7oFHNHalhFCrhXidFZ8/s1600/F38D0D6C-13F5-4739-AF9C-5CD0AB7BB019.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQS0R3K5TselMZGgUVaLtOLl8-nO7y5Srs1jTPCykWdLqZFftd-QM9icfofT9TPhd1c449IlyJOpg5n-KgJja-6yBmqwEeEKL7Yucfk9fLG94t0Ld_vNk7ivrk7oFHNHalhFCrhXidFZ8/s640/F38D0D6C-13F5-4739-AF9C-5CD0AB7BB019.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ein Avdat National Park, a spring in the Negev Desert </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeZReRhThRK19DF5-95gPIoxxoSLdVsZhV-bhOjARFZmjpyRYbLR_rC3QMk7tRUqMcQSlEEWGxtOYoC_DgISss6IFq2HdoOrKKEePIMHeXwxpFWTncXENI2xJ6sHNpPgTGVGpctxKBqQ/s1600/D7BD4880-44FA-4321-9916-ECBBC0A91BEA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIeZReRhThRK19DF5-95gPIoxxoSLdVsZhV-bhOjARFZmjpyRYbLR_rC3QMk7tRUqMcQSlEEWGxtOYoC_DgISss6IFq2HdoOrKKEePIMHeXwxpFWTncXENI2xJ6sHNpPgTGVGpctxKBqQ/s640/D7BD4880-44FA-4321-9916-ECBBC0A91BEA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had a great visit with Ken's college roommate, Jeff, and his wife Diane in Jerusalem.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMijqt_V0m5Mpm7LKUIeNNtXi-zbSM6RYPi0kMiLPRjwhXRDxs2-3PGLbh65zxbObmQm5XAq5w5gPfoLDFJBzia5yR8QvNMR_NSao-jh0nS6Is5NKQ57gLdWB0rCNhp4QmgrFqVsdj5A/s1600/0EB72384-3E3B-425D-92BE-192BB8EBC0B8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMijqt_V0m5Mpm7LKUIeNNtXi-zbSM6RYPi0kMiLPRjwhXRDxs2-3PGLbh65zxbObmQm5XAq5w5gPfoLDFJBzia5yR8QvNMR_NSao-jh0nS6Is5NKQ57gLdWB0rCNhp4QmgrFqVsdj5A/s640/0EB72384-3E3B-425D-92BE-192BB8EBC0B8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The perfect metaphor: an unstaffed Information desk at the main Jerusalem train station.</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Best Clock of the Trip</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMzfX3kUe4U" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKZIw2N_hCslSq1OwP79sADKCj1zYL33i-xWjr-7dqmrwskmLwEN323MPf_fj1WgN0d5-RA37pdVqI-C-mMRji3ZaXkBxLLIjk5jf0SP1wAOzK6whlqrSIFcBwPETUAdwoTJkEj6st_M/s640/074A8594-44C1-4A4C-8E2D-9C2446DF9A49.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
At the Ben Gurion Airport, we saw the coolest digital/video clock ever, sponsored by a local car rental company. It takes up an entire wall. Check it out <b>here<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMzfX3kUe4U" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMzfX3kUe4U</a></b>.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comJerusalem, Israel31.768319 35.21370999999999231.552388 34.89098649999999 31.984250000000003 35.536433499999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-38797883604990279962019-04-29T04:41:00.000-04:002019-05-16T08:01:37.111-04:00Jordan: One Surprise After Another<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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STEPPING INTO THE PAST, CHAPTER 7: IN WHICH WE RECONSIDER OUR IN-TENT-IONS<br />
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<strong>Days 25-31: Barcelona to Jordan.</strong> Though we subsequently learned that Jordan has a lot to offer beyond its well-known rose red city, there's no doubt that the opportunity to visit Petra was what put Jordan on our agenda for this trip. Since Petra's carved sandstone facades were featured as the site where Indiana Jones found the Holy Grail in the 1989 blockbuster <i>Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade</i>, tourism to the site has grown steadily. Being selected as one of the <a href="https://world.new7wonders.com/" target="_blank"><b>New 7 Wonders of the World</b></a> in a global voting campaign in 2007 further stimulated the flow of visitors. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCFAvZrEbsY5VJsCEXOKLM3QErUPi8fxKS4n-MkTYRNm44ZZ0MfShPPz8MOQu6P4LEvPBUlEM1-yz_Oze4s2b6tOQ-K1Nvmbp1jsngLkwp8yJK1kRquI613Djt5z7oyfLjXWmqA-OM44/s1600/83240E4A-E636-4BAA-A67D-B24A4C00EC16.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCFAvZrEbsY5VJsCEXOKLM3QErUPi8fxKS4n-MkTYRNm44ZZ0MfShPPz8MOQu6P4LEvPBUlEM1-yz_Oze4s2b6tOQ-K1Nvmbp1jsngLkwp8yJK1kRquI613Djt5z7oyfLjXWmqA-OM44/s640/83240E4A-E636-4BAA-A67D-B24A4C00EC16.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obelisk tomb. Bottom floor had banquet hall where the family held annual feast to honor the dead.</td></tr>
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Petra was founded around the 4th century BC as the capital of the Nabataen kingdom. This ancient Arab state amassed prosperity and power through their strategic location along major trade routes. Gaining control of the lucrative incense trade made them wealthy, and that status was reflected in their beautiful capital city.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsO5xMH-4cVo8Q775boZSj88PzW7hDDFlw5JuQF3dOGWTp9cjVBDdSRbaRjo67Uu36nysQglIqeNS1ZCis4fX0RKHg0Kz6g5MQrPne4b1NBaaPS_ZfyCQHHcH40cgwW3SEe8Cq7NTvTnY/s1600/5DB388A7-0F4B-403F-960A-10BB8E35650E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsO5xMH-4cVo8Q775boZSj88PzW7hDDFlw5JuQF3dOGWTp9cjVBDdSRbaRjo67Uu36nysQglIqeNS1ZCis4fX0RKHg0Kz6g5MQrPne4b1NBaaPS_ZfyCQHHcH40cgwW3SEe8Cq7NTvTnY/s640/5DB388A7-0F4B-403F-960A-10BB8E35650E.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving early allowed us a view of the Treasury without hundreds of people present.</td></tr>
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The iconic image most people associate with Petra is the so-called Treasury, undoubtedly the most spectacular and dramatic monument remaining from the Nabataean period. With the height of a 12-story building, the structure is actually a mausoleum, probably the burial place for a Nabataean king. Its familiar name stems from a local Bedouin legend that the king hid a treasure in the urn at the top, which is pitted with bullet holes left by would-be grave robbers attempting to retrieve the mythical riches.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2S7x9skS8tKvJG7nphN2pjynX0ZhyqPns8crAXDrIO7cebThgyxoX0EroEPfOiJqbFvCn9W805TWjsebKTjYM9KVMUZMq4tJDBTREf7_G4dYnFWaNq2c_tefGqqTSL-aVhs36kngNLgc/s1600/D903FF64-010C-4297-8984-BC09883C9F7F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2S7x9skS8tKvJG7nphN2pjynX0ZhyqPns8crAXDrIO7cebThgyxoX0EroEPfOiJqbFvCn9W805TWjsebKTjYM9KVMUZMq4tJDBTREf7_G4dYnFWaNq2c_tefGqqTSL-aVhs36kngNLgc/s640/D903FF64-010C-4297-8984-BC09883C9F7F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main street through the city (gate at end) was once lined with tall columns.</td></tr>
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At its peak, Petra was home to about 20,000 people. In the second century AD, Nabataeans were conquered by Rome and the opening of sea routes undermined their trading dominance. After an earthquake destroyed many buildings in 363, the city's population dwindled to a small group of nomads. The once flourishing powerful city faded into oblivion until it was 'rediscovered' in 1812 by a Swiss traveler and geographer who disguised himself as an Arab and convinced his Bedouin guide to take him to the lost city. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskepJrjJwifJZheR4wrlB35SSiKU22-WUAN-w7EYpkBEH4wCs8bPfFEmQsaQAelNIA8Cnx3D1WMhUQsNtAMdPAlxjElDjZ1YkudP3SbWVmLby7q0uhUsBtH_DLGNNwuRN_2zhBWalLww/s1600/EECE421F-3E83-4B56-84F1-794B7AD82C91.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskepJrjJwifJZheR4wrlB35SSiKU22-WUAN-w7EYpkBEH4wCs8bPfFEmQsaQAelNIA8Cnx3D1WMhUQsNtAMdPAlxjElDjZ1YkudP3SbWVmLby7q0uhUsBtH_DLGNNwuRN_2zhBWalLww/s640/EECE421F-3E83-4B56-84F1-794B7AD82C91.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carriage and horseback rides through Petra are offered by Bedouin vendors.</td></tr>
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After the Swiss explorer wrote about his experience, Petra gained fame in the West as a beautiful rose-colored city of antiquity. In 1985, Petra was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, prompting the Jordanian government to negotiate an agreement with the Bidoul Bedouin people who inhabited the caves at the ancient settlement. They were allowed exclusive rights to the tourism business in Petra in exchange for resettling in a town a few miles from the site. A few years later, Harrison Ford came by with his film crew and Petra sealed a spot on the tourism map.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2_H7tI5rgL9usgzl6AdgjO7qqd-bcn5HuZ6yj4v0X90Rmtj3LQ483csJlmi1KLdDQeQczwVGO7NOct5GESIM_ewcBuBT-P29k2MMpe8CmAbhgRWJMAaR1shgX4x4_n7t7UkYt9ChVRo/s1600/F1FF1E1C-40CF-41B3-80C9-A8FAFF4AFAF5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2_H7tI5rgL9usgzl6AdgjO7qqd-bcn5HuZ6yj4v0X90Rmtj3LQ483csJlmi1KLdDQeQczwVGO7NOct5GESIM_ewcBuBT-P29k2MMpe8CmAbhgRWJMAaR1shgX4x4_n7t7UkYt9ChVRo/s640/F1FF1E1C-40CF-41B3-80C9-A8FAFF4AFAF5.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The siq leading to the ancient city is reminiscent of slot canyons in Arizona and Utah.</td></tr>
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From the entrance area, visitors walk about a mile through a wide valley to the siq, a natural geological fault split apart by tectonic forces. At the end of a three-quarter-mile narrow passage, the siq opens up onto the Treasury. We opted for an early start, arriving at Petra around 6:15 to avoid the heat and thousands of cruise ship passengers who visit by bus from Aqaba. By the time we walked the main path through the tombs, temples and monuments carved into pink sandstone cliffs and returned to the parking area four hours later, we had amassed 6.5 miles on our daily fitness goal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7as4bX89HagYOhW3NU51CoNM950iHv6dsAoekjvO0162AfnyceMDiu7rHui0AifPpgnjJCw0DAY-725TV6zX8SS9nAwPObUZwQlqv96eECyCL5rGbjYgSrFLLGs5erqmorUtrrwPJtc/s1600/AC30D824-7748-45AF-A01E-BCA05E85DB0A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7as4bX89HagYOhW3NU51CoNM950iHv6dsAoekjvO0162AfnyceMDiu7rHui0AifPpgnjJCw0DAY-725TV6zX8SS9nAwPObUZwQlqv96eECyCL5rGbjYgSrFLLGs5erqmorUtrrwPJtc/s640/AC30D824-7748-45AF-A01E-BCA05E85DB0A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donkeys bear goods for vendors set up on the stairway to the Monastery.</td></tr>
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One place we did not visit was the Monastery, Petra's largest monument, dating from the 1st century BC. We had planned to try climbing the 850 steps to the top, but after seeing how treacherous some of them were, realizing we had to share the steps with donkeys hauling goods and visitors up and down, and assessing our fatigue level and what we had already seen, the decision to bypass the climbing opportunity was an easy one.<br />
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Although we recognized our limits at Petra, we failed to comprehend what we had planned at another Jordanian site we had read much about—Wadi Rum. In the far south of Jordan, Wadi Rum is a desert valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock. Inhabited for many centuries by a variety of cultures which left their marks in the form of petroglyphs and rock paintings. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's in the middle of the desert. How do we get there? (photo from booking.com)</td></tr>
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Like Petra, the area became known after it appeared in several movies, often used to represent a Martian landscape. Local Bedouins have created a tourist industry for visitors who want to explore the area with camping retreats and popular activities like rock climbing, 4x4 safaris, and horseback or camel riding among the massive rock formations.<br />
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Naively sitting in our suburban home in Georgia, we conducted lots of research on the "luxury" camps available and carefully read dozens of reviews of the forty-something options. We hand-picked a camp with private tents (pictured above), each with its own bathroom. Information sent to us after reserving our tent indicated the camp was 12 miles into the desert from Wadi Rum Village, and that someone would meet us in the town upon our arrival and provide directions to the camp.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our transportation options</td></tr>
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Driving to Wadi Rum, we watched miniature dust devils kicking up sand along the roadside. Outside the car at the visitor center, we were assailed by blowing sand stirred up by the wind. Only when we arrived in the village and found the office for the camp did we learn that we had only two options for transportation to the camp. Rather than driving there in our rental car, which we had understood from the communications we received, we could ride a camel or in a jeep. The jeep sounded fine until we learned a new definition for jeep—sitting on a bench on the back of a pickup truck with all our belongings, while everything (including us) became coated with dust on a 12-mile ride across the sand (and back the next day). And, by the way, it was 85° and the goat-hair tent had no air conditioning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixd5vTjXUcd3mBUfQIjCzlsmntsHIynmuYsSJZk0xur-CWux_YvGUjm0DFMv2pFuGb828srdDogRZcyDx80h3_SGtOwnxQ40wV83975MsVhLOQ545ITmxE2r5PYBtkwuVianun8Xxv1rc/s1600/1003C030-ED72-4BB7-8392-ED92BF74FCD5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixd5vTjXUcd3mBUfQIjCzlsmntsHIynmuYsSJZk0xur-CWux_YvGUjm0DFMv2pFuGb828srdDogRZcyDx80h3_SGtOwnxQ40wV83975MsVhLOQ545ITmxE2r5PYBtkwuVianun8Xxv1rc/s640/1003C030-ED72-4BB7-8392-ED92BF74FCD5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Chevy Aveo rental and a local worker in Wadi Rum Village</td></tr>
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That's when we came face to face with where our needs stood on the scale between comfort and adventure. We dutifully paid the bill for the tent ($84) since we were cancelling last minute, drove south 35 miles to Aqaba on the Red Sea coast and paid way too much for an executive suite (only room available) in a luxury seaside resort. And we were happy to do it. No sand in our clothes, hair, ears, or belongings, and we liked it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAqsRzVAR5PN2IYzhJMlrSWwlsQEhBw6jQ6UDrCJJggaV-obIsdFBVurTC5htRZbz240FjaMiDJ19X0s6IOPipRcDfQ0e70WXsqgNlAsiEENubrkAuWtlV-hBWbPzM_vd47ZkrwqiybE/s1600/56D9F605-D03B-43FC-90D7-CE07B28DF51D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAqsRzVAR5PN2IYzhJMlrSWwlsQEhBw6jQ6UDrCJJggaV-obIsdFBVurTC5htRZbz240FjaMiDJ19X0s6IOPipRcDfQ0e70WXsqgNlAsiEENubrkAuWtlV-hBWbPzM_vd47ZkrwqiybE/s640/56D9F605-D03B-43FC-90D7-CE07B28DF51D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hadrian's Arch, Jarash. Central passage for chariots, sides for pedestrians (one for nobles, one commoners.)</td></tr>
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Though Petra and Wadi Rum are the best known Jordanian sites on the tourist map, they are certainly not all there is to see. Just 30 miles north of the capital city of Amman is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jarash, a location with a chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years. Lying on a plain surrounded by hilly wooded areas, the city of Jarash was built by Alexander the Great around 331 BC. Standing at the crossroads of trade and communications and with an abundance of natural resources, the city grew rapidly. And like the rest of this part of the world, it was ruled over time by a variety of empires.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfO2_W89PWOQPBX3GFeiBbvIY91_0CQBos1xNhhTQh-sSJ8GsgxJbfccBqktLrYhmiFYTD5TNv2LnpE4z4M5676RzL00LN0L0KFj3m85zIqAT1uv7vS8rG9RzhX7sbnXuo-zuap5gA_zI/s1600/E21E2256-BD8D-4DB2-9509-5625AA9AE3F3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfO2_W89PWOQPBX3GFeiBbvIY91_0CQBos1xNhhTQh-sSJ8GsgxJbfccBqktLrYhmiFYTD5TNv2LnpE4z4M5676RzL00LN0L0KFj3m85zIqAT1uv7vS8rG9RzhX7sbnXuo-zuap5gA_zI/s640/E21E2256-BD8D-4DB2-9509-5625AA9AE3F3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original paving stones of the main thoroughfare were rutted by chariots that once jostled along them.</td></tr>
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Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, Jarash came under Roman rule and became one of the ten great cities of the Roman Decapolis League, with imposing ceremonial gates, colonnaded avenues, baths, great theaters and temples, and a population of 20,000. Like Petra, Jarash began to decline when overland trading routes were supplanted by shipping to transport commerce. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs9_iCbtro_nhHvNn2MGBBtEhRuOzVhcnnJuNg9MF93lPstZcCWghxdnLFPJ_AzMeIxKTxVj-NoPoLzmE82SCW3HLOPiqEj3FBuoCkUp4dDnW0aGhSG6YN9yZqTSAPBr8g3aeYLm-BqU/s1600/56F2F628-7EAF-464C-90BC-5B92C9729281.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYs9_iCbtro_nhHvNn2MGBBtEhRuOzVhcnnJuNg9MF93lPstZcCWghxdnLFPJ_AzMeIxKTxVj-NoPoLzmE82SCW3HLOPiqEj3FBuoCkUp4dDnW0aGhSG6YN9yZqTSAPBr8g3aeYLm-BqU/s640/56F2F628-7EAF-464C-90BC-5B92C9729281.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The South Gate of Jarash, one of four along the city wall.</td></tr>
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Though the city had a brief period of rejuvenation after the Muslim conquest reached the area in the 7th century AD, Jarash was destroyed in 749 by a series of earthquakes. By the time Crusaders came to the area in the 1100s, using some of the ancient ruins as a fortress, they described Jarash as abandoned and uninhabitable. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UdTlPI-rf8guvNESCU80hgQ_5SvYn2IBH2VnDja6QRspwGn7gHI98Gjy9eD_SIkSiBR4oOGxBLVA_3WncAtPj3bFr-pnwadMsu8Mhs8x8tGyNLR35JS41iGMo5UQ0WKlqdDtrdwB7yo/s1600/461772CD-8729-42B6-8D52-48404E6E5E34.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UdTlPI-rf8guvNESCU80hgQ_5SvYn2IBH2VnDja6QRspwGn7gHI98Gjy9eD_SIkSiBR4oOGxBLVA_3WncAtPj3bFr-pnwadMsu8Mhs8x8tGyNLR35JS41iGMo5UQ0WKlqdDtrdwB7yo/s640/461772CD-8729-42B6-8D52-48404E6E5E34.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Roman forum, unusual for its oval shape and huge size (300 x 260 ft)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
No further mention of Jarash was recorded until its rediscovery in 1806 when a German traveler came across and recognized a small part of the ruins. The ancient city had been buried in sand, accounting for the remarkable preservation of some of its structures. Archaeological excavations begun in 1925 and still ongoing, have gradually revealed more of this well-preserved ancient city.<br />
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<b>A Different Brand of Hospitality</b><br />
Almost every travel writer we read before this trip—from professional journalists to bloggers—raved about the incredible Jordanian hospitality. We arrived eager to embrace the people of this country which has never closed its borders to refugees in need. What we found was not exactly what we expected based on our research. <br />
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In all fairness, our perceptions may have been influenced by <a href="http://www.theroadjunkies.com/2018/05/act-like-albanian.html" target="_blank"><b>our experiences in Albania last spring</b></a>. Based on our impressions in visits to 60+ countries, Albanians set the gold standard for hospitality, always genuinely eager to offer you any kind of assistance and unwilling to accept compensation for it. Even the young Albanian woman who helped pay our postage when we lacked sufficient local currency refused to let us pay her back in euros or dollars. Albanians' interactions with strangers are friendly and open and sincere.<br />
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Our interactions with Jordanians in the week we have spent in various parts of the country could not be more different from what Albanians taught us about heartfelt hospitality. In our experience in Jordan, you're expected to accept everything that is offered, whether it's something you actually want or not. And whatever you offer, especially in payment, is never enough, even if it is clearly considerably more than an object or service is worth.<br />
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A few examples will best explain. When we arrived at our Petra hotel, one of the desk clerks offered us a glass of orange juice, a nice gesture. When I declined because I don't care for the beverage, he brought me a glass anyway, and it was thrust upon Ken with the expectation that he drink mine as well as his own.<br />
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At a Crusader castle we visited, a local dressed as an ancient warrior offered to pose for a photo with us for a fee, and we declined politely with the Arabic phrase for "no, thank you." When we walked back past him on exiting, he sneered at us and made some pointed comments to his similarly clad colleagues. <br />
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While I was taking photos at Petra, Ken reached out to engage with an older female vendor nearby. In an effort to help her, he offered her one dinar (about $1.40) for a tiny, ordinary pebble on her sales shelf, something he could have easily picked up a foot away for nothing. "Two dinars," she insisted.<br />
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As we were driving through an off-road area looking at rock formations, a young boy of about nine chased after us yelling "one dollar, one dollar." When we declined to give him any money, he made a face and demonstrated a too-mature hip grinding gesture toward us.<br />
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We could enumerate many other examples, but, suffice it to say, our impression of Jordanian hospitality was nothing more than aggressive sales pitches. Hands were extended to us for money, not in friendship, as we experienced repeatedly in Albania. We went on road trips in both countries. Had we broken down on the road in Albania, there is no doubt an Albanian would have stopped and helped us and refused to accept compensation for his trouble. In Jordan, we were unsure whether anyone would have helped, but had someone stopped, there is no doubt the person would have expected money and lots of it. <br />
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<b>One Country's Trash</b><br />
Not to obsess over Albania, but last year before we visited the country, we read often that it had a significant problem with litter. In driving many miles all around the country, we can attest that this is simply not true. Oddly, we heard not a word about Jordan's massive problem with litter until we observed it after we arrived.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFp1t91zUdpGhN6YsxI8BXzgV_8jkSW2sFMJbPdCTv45A1Lr-ARnmUD6mgUsAA3PQ7Tv7EtqpIgEM8AeMZPR1laFLdoe3SMiSIpT4gqKigzYBphnfqbexePZgKm_TiXdaOzzksp8Waqs4/s1600/19069E7E-D83D-4DA4-B40E-D29820ADD5C5.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFp1t91zUdpGhN6YsxI8BXzgV_8jkSW2sFMJbPdCTv45A1Lr-ARnmUD6mgUsAA3PQ7Tv7EtqpIgEM8AeMZPR1laFLdoe3SMiSIpT4gqKigzYBphnfqbexePZgKm_TiXdaOzzksp8Waqs4/s640/19069E7E-D83D-4DA4-B40E-D29820ADD5C5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
The country has some incredible scenic beauty with fascinating rock formations and mountains. Roads wind through these landforms in ways that offer superb views through the windshield of outstanding scenery.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTiJCf3ZhLqG7zN3eXX8st4iaPoORZmSp353q-PBF4lfVoOmdfEsNh-kFbbVqBCd1lOUoU2h55jGU70YT6JkXl4ZyUz42lmNxcNHmgN6eoj9V_gn8_-FO_UzSfs0gRCU0hKVzEXvVcvc/s1600/665E60A1-D509-4868-97EF-030AFF7CFD6B.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVTiJCf3ZhLqG7zN3eXX8st4iaPoORZmSp353q-PBF4lfVoOmdfEsNh-kFbbVqBCd1lOUoU2h55jGU70YT6JkXl4ZyUz42lmNxcNHmgN6eoj9V_gn8_-FO_UzSfs0gRCU0hKVzEXvVcvc/s640/665E60A1-D509-4868-97EF-030AFF7CFD6B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Yet one has to look beyond massive amounts of roadside trash to enjoy the view. Plastic bags, bottles, cans, old tires, and other types of debris are littered anywhere and everywhere. We even saw a police officer at a checkpoint light up his last cigarette and drop the empty package on the road.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgX1Uj85bltQS2Jj-9T-Kz7nrj9kMTmREozWCtuOaN4Q3RGdriT53qIBFVKxO0PKuN4kgzYArMMBf1YUGk1_IzuEsVmRgprSSEWSARSVLSSa8Snu453rYunZivDnwZeYwq7rj4Q1raG10/s1600/333E07D4-D04F-4D38-8ED2-E626F4C93BB8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgX1Uj85bltQS2Jj-9T-Kz7nrj9kMTmREozWCtuOaN4Q3RGdriT53qIBFVKxO0PKuN4kgzYArMMBf1YUGk1_IzuEsVmRgprSSEWSARSVLSSa8Snu453rYunZivDnwZeYwq7rj4Q1raG10/s640/333E07D4-D04F-4D38-8ED2-E626F4C93BB8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Jordanians love to picnic, and once spring arrives, they can be found out of doors on Fridays and Saturdays (their weekends) enjoying time with family, friends and nature. Unfortunately, this popular activity also contributes to the litter problem, as people tend to leave the wrappings and containers from their picnic where they used them.<br />
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All that being said, we did enjoy our week in Jordan, with one surprise after another. One aspect we did not expect but found delightful was the remarkable natural scenery (once you overlooked the litter). The Arabah Valley that runs from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba offers some spectacular views, and we admired the engineers who designed roads traversing this mountainous area.<br />
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<b>But Wait. There's One Last Surprise Before You Leave...</b><br />
Though we've experienced minor annoyances at airport security screenings before (I'm looking at you, Amsterdam agent, dipping your hand into the waistband of my slacks), the Amman crew took things to a new level. When we arrived at the security line, an agent looked at our passports and boarding passes to Tel Aviv and told us to go to Line 5. Then the real scrutiny began.<br />
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Even after the usual removal of shoes, belt, jacket, watch and laptop, iPad, liquids in bin, I still set off the walk-through metal detector. The female agent who disrespectfully groped my body as she chatted with a colleague left nothing to chance as she included a full examination of my nipples in her pat down.<br />
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In addition, we were both under suspicion for having tiny grooming scissors with us (compliant with TSA rules and the security regulations at six other airports on this trip). That led to much more invasive examinations. Ken’s probe started with his liquids bag. His three test tubes with about 1.5 ounces each of water from different seas were confiscated. “No water,” the agent complained. He also determined that a small can of shaving cream was suspect and was taking it until his supervisor said it was OK.<br />
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Our problems worsened after I foolishly tried to ask about Ken’s items that were being taken.
After that, the supervisor agent pulled every single item out of Ken’s backpack and examined it, even down to opening the packing cubes and putting his hands inside. Why? We were told X-ray showed scissors, nothing else.<br />
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Both our laptops and my iPad were swabbed and tested. I pulled out my tiny scissors and surrendered them. Ken did not, thinking he wasn't allowed to touch his bag, as is true in most security screenings. (We later learned that his scissors were never confiscated, supporting our theory that the agents' excess scrutiny, which was afforded to no other passengers, was simply an exercise in harassment.)<br />
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Finally the agent finished with Ken’s bag, testing of our devices was done and we were released to get our things back together.
Before we could, I was called back for even more screening, including testing of my laptop three more times, always with nothing suspicious found. While my laptop was sitting on the table to be tested and retested, dozens of other laptops came by and were swabbed while I waited. Some were identical to my MacBook, so I ignored the agent and kept my eyes on my device the entire time to be sure it wasn’t switched off somehow. <br />
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It goes without saying that each and every item in my day bag had to be removed and scrutinized, though there was no apparent reason for doing so. The agent delightedly confiscated a plastic knife and seemed disappointed that he didn’t find more. But again, problem items would have been seen in the X-ray and none was reported. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNVw83OBAMeFaeOkE9XE-BuiNqbbj5X26v7fjAcyExPRcEjEI8wYLBmwf8VMPobmOTRpiSTYTbWUZ3SHDiJNrs2Kq2F33jERyosYhw4r6Aqsypy4O9lFjp2-l5m2uvpfYlQfviVuorMU/s1600/686055AA-61E8-4903-A222-1DC43BABF778.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNVw83OBAMeFaeOkE9XE-BuiNqbbj5X26v7fjAcyExPRcEjEI8wYLBmwf8VMPobmOTRpiSTYTbWUZ3SHDiJNrs2Kq2F33jERyosYhw4r6Aqsypy4O9lFjp2-l5m2uvpfYlQfviVuorMU/s640/686055AA-61E8-4903-A222-1DC43BABF778.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our favorite view of the Amman airport receding as we departed</td></tr>
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Finally, reluctantly, they again released us to go to the gate area. We wasted no time in doing exactly that, thankful that we each had one bag that wasn’t pawed through.
Even after stopping at a cafe for a bite of breakfast, we were the first ones to arrive at the gate and it was a little creepy because that entire section of the concourse was deserted for at least 30 minutes before other passengers began showing up.<br />
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During that time, we fretted that we still might have to undergo more security demands. I even reverted this blog post on Jordan to a draft because I had questioned the myth of Jordanian hospitality in it. Eventually more passengers began to arrive at the gate and we began to breathe a little easier...and fret about our arrival in Israel and what that examination might be like. But really not until we boarded the plane AND it pushed back from the gate did we believe we would be able to leave Jordan without further hassle. We don't expect to return for more in the future.<br />
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<b>Coming Up</b><br />
The final country we'll be visiting on this trip into the past is Israel. We'll be there for nine days before a couple of days in London on the way home.<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">TUESDAY, 23 APRIL—MONDAY, 29 APRIL, 2019</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 7 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Barcelona, Spain<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Amman, Jordan<br />
• <b>Air Miles: </b> 2,587<br />
• <b>Road Miles: </b>613<br />
• <b>Gas Cost for Road Trip: </b>$86.04<br />
• <b>Foot Miles:</b> 39.53<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 43° to 90°, sunny, hazy, windy<br />
• <b>Potholes on Roads:</b> too numerous to mention<br />
• <b>Unmarked speed bumps: </b>1,261<br />
• <b>Goats & sheep in road:</b> 1,908<br />
• <b>Foreign tourists at Petra:</b> 92%<br />
• <b>Foreign tourists at Jarash: </b>18%<br />
• <b>Local hitchhikers:</b> 1.3 per mile<br />
• <b>Bottles of water we drank:</b> 31<br />
• <b>Cars driving wrong way on highway:</b> 24<br />
• <b>No littering signs:</b> 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Loved:</b> The massive geological formations. Jordan is mostly rock and desert and the spectacular landforms in shades of brown and red are fascinating. The area has much in common with the deserts of Utah and northern Arizona.<br />
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Lacking: </b>Road signage—intersection right-of-way indicators, street names, speed bump warnings, highway designations.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> You can't always believe what others say. Of course, we knew that already from our experience in Albania. </div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK_N_IfD4z_9MIWJsgTEDuIahyphenhyphenIKZZyEO4-zitwQczEWPD1yt3UcmzEVxfTS6FYaDFYjdnTYuYBVwy9sxFLgL_5aLcnQoaPDIjrqLLPdQxzUwDcnqB275uAGJ4rLehOqorD6ayENcVJM/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="1600" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK_N_IfD4z_9MIWJsgTEDuIahyphenhyphenIKZZyEO4-zitwQczEWPD1yt3UcmzEVxfTS6FYaDFYjdnTYuYBVwy9sxFLgL_5aLcnQoaPDIjrqLLPdQxzUwDcnqB275uAGJ4rLehOqorD6ayENcVJM/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFDr3Q1sM9fwv43rYei73_Sh94XzusD4Pc2Pf7W2kvaNiM7eQ_yShvu_emyMNPScAF3QOUaxRxW1yujrZjQ3EsNU8OAhQFRYROJOi_aiL8pOWkXWIiKVlCUfJic326ODIOBuTkK2zmys/s1600/A2855B54-47F5-44AB-A6A4-412E63984254.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFDr3Q1sM9fwv43rYei73_Sh94XzusD4Pc2Pf7W2kvaNiM7eQ_yShvu_emyMNPScAF3QOUaxRxW1yujrZjQ3EsNU8OAhQFRYROJOi_aiL8pOWkXWIiKVlCUfJic326ODIOBuTkK2zmys/s320/A2855B54-47F5-44AB-A6A4-412E63984254.jpeg" width="320" /></a><strong><span style="color: #783f04;">No Gas Buddy Needed Here</span></strong></div>
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Fuel prices in Jordan are set by the government. They are reviewed and adjusted on a monthly basis to reflect international oil pricing. Prices during our week in the country were equivalent to $3.785 per gallon, significantly less than we paid in Spain and Greece.
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Blanketed with Security</span></b></div>
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After a series of coordinated bomb attacks at Amman hotels in 2005 killed 57 and injured more than 100 others, Jordanians take hotel security very seriously. Before entering hotel car parks, vehicles are searched, swabbed for traces of explosives and have their undercarriages inspected. Airport type security screenings with walk-through metal detectors and baggage x-rays are required before guests can enter the building.
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">What's Odd Here?</span></b></div>
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We've become so accustomed to the practice of smoking being prohibited in hotels, we find ourselves surprised when we see an ashtray provided, as it was in our Aqaba suite. When we asked an agent at our Amman hotel whether smoking was permitted there, she replied with a smile, "Of course! It's a Marriott!"</div>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Now You Don't</span></b></div>
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Jordanian streets and long-distance highways are fitted with frequent speed bumps. When installed, they're painted red with yellow and white stripes on either side, making them easy for drivers to see. Apparently, this explains the lack of signage warning drivers that they're approaching a speed bump. Unfortunately, the next time the road is resurfaced, asphalt is applied over the speed bump, covering the colored indicators. If you don't know the road and you're not driving behind another car, you will definitely be unpleasantly surprised by these nuisances.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPsbe7rZ4QpeXeBzAxOLYeztDHn2gCxhZ9dEFzfYOCkhbeNKiB2dRetmr4dAy-rtvSsUAi29mf1Z70HDworOZfY1Oh5WpudZLkEBQkuBXhymfE5GBDqOFj-Vi-jKeROahGIjE7PrrpqM/s1600/B610CAEA-83EC-4902-BACC-616294AF32FF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPsbe7rZ4QpeXeBzAxOLYeztDHn2gCxhZ9dEFzfYOCkhbeNKiB2dRetmr4dAy-rtvSsUAi29mf1Z70HDworOZfY1Oh5WpudZLkEBQkuBXhymfE5GBDqOFj-Vi-jKeROahGIjE7PrrpqM/s640/B610CAEA-83EC-4902-BACC-616294AF32FF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many Bedouin vendors selling wares in the ancient site of Petra.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtz5EPtRBS-4dVtOetUyDVGJQqlOcagYrtvPqnLU3xESEet7OfUP3HLrqN1v9630Z74Ips9pCj03fDoi9sVo0OO6yTe179Mqprr3UGrVvNyfVEeA5u4XC-0gJ_2zVGMWUEE8hHWhr_Mok/s1600/5098EF0D-045D-4444-825E-1E3C251FA17E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtz5EPtRBS-4dVtOetUyDVGJQqlOcagYrtvPqnLU3xESEet7OfUP3HLrqN1v9630Z74Ips9pCj03fDoi9sVo0OO6yTe179Mqprr3UGrVvNyfVEeA5u4XC-0gJ_2zVGMWUEE8hHWhr_Mok/s640/5098EF0D-045D-4444-825E-1E3C251FA17E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dijinn blocks throughout Petra are believed by locals to house spirits.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIzv_XfOOea0A7VBNf2RHvsAxcjkHqjQhU4YS3WKPpvEXWL8lMBlWEKb-QvwBpaQTt-EjbTrnX0IwBaou5AEhk7IiXV7WWlXUFiKvjoHyg_q0fFkL3dfQyFHQ9BnUNvaw6kCwHOluGm0/s1600/0DC6774B-1C2B-4686-9413-3B187D30E24A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnIzv_XfOOea0A7VBNf2RHvsAxcjkHqjQhU4YS3WKPpvEXWL8lMBlWEKb-QvwBpaQTt-EjbTrnX0IwBaou5AEhk7IiXV7WWlXUFiKvjoHyg_q0fFkL3dfQyFHQ9BnUNvaw6kCwHOluGm0/s640/0DC6774B-1C2B-4686-9413-3B187D30E24A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camels were saddled and waiting in front of the Treasury for tourist photo ops.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-UP84mcX2wEqxTb0U9IXkpDkbfrF6VpDCA2uCHDy_HTK-AXA44yc1NKkoKz7txsFs6areF0YCErxlq6bZbyz0kRrSDY1KnD8g-X3Z7K_u9T51Kr07_kfOtPynAXdzfPK0IvROnZqMds/s1600/6CADABFE-02FF-4E72-8F52-2C4EE884257E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-UP84mcX2wEqxTb0U9IXkpDkbfrF6VpDCA2uCHDy_HTK-AXA44yc1NKkoKz7txsFs6areF0YCErxlq6bZbyz0kRrSDY1KnD8g-X3Z7K_u9T51Kr07_kfOtPynAXdzfPK0IvROnZqMds/s640/6CADABFE-02FF-4E72-8F52-2C4EE884257E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of Petra's workers (one resting) among the camel-colored stones.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fop1DCNbNvrYNC4iBfcwAe6msKfaNK6jM_ombh20O1oNpbD6h6NoC-EpuL_eqZ1SxVUV3tMfL279ps2CpIzyjJF8HEn5DE45p3crjBuIvSEAHjOcidiZJ-TvAmOMff7awIDEBxXo9LU/s1600/4773CE11-C5D6-4562-B422-823DDA9168F5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fop1DCNbNvrYNC4iBfcwAe6msKfaNK6jM_ombh20O1oNpbD6h6NoC-EpuL_eqZ1SxVUV3tMfL279ps2CpIzyjJF8HEn5DE45p3crjBuIvSEAHjOcidiZJ-TvAmOMff7awIDEBxXo9LU/s640/4773CE11-C5D6-4562-B422-823DDA9168F5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of these little guys were working hard in Petra (and often being beaten to give more).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9aXsQX4_4fzON-ZOV_ak4_iuGmcPE2G9uLncYruPn99xZ_9l8J99Ewzxjn28Y8Mp_z-Q8aff7XZLIDJDc0-9Mv3i9DtAJAY7dhs3jYKGV5K2qoN1ENPOCwYbohlTW8ld877gFw5rIqk/s1600/0CB09155-94D9-4EC5-94BC-1AA4654B5DA2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9aXsQX4_4fzON-ZOV_ak4_iuGmcPE2G9uLncYruPn99xZ_9l8J99Ewzxjn28Y8Mp_z-Q8aff7XZLIDJDc0-9Mv3i9DtAJAY7dhs3jYKGV5K2qoN1ENPOCwYbohlTW8ld877gFw5rIqk/s640/0CB09155-94D9-4EC5-94BC-1AA4654B5DA2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient theater carved into the sandstone at Petra.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand art is alive and well in Petra.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihA7hrjAgKxcyaTB6crdCUINo0xr77XCJYs3tNKQ1dmvl6Ls5dN9fFtpMI-vmg8EbQWSClVbxQk2VCOXP0plMrWrBUaMVcqjmHIEyCRGiaxSzBHb2BOrZgUmAL_I4Zj4oF3k0gtSWee_8/s1600/48087813-2A87-4433-B403-07D972D478DC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihA7hrjAgKxcyaTB6crdCUINo0xr77XCJYs3tNKQ1dmvl6Ls5dN9fFtpMI-vmg8EbQWSClVbxQk2VCOXP0plMrWrBUaMVcqjmHIEyCRGiaxSzBHb2BOrZgUmAL_I4Zj4oF3k0gtSWee_8/s640/48087813-2A87-4433-B403-07D972D478DC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Temple of Artemis towering over Jarash was dismantled to provide materials for churches in 386.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3MMZI_M13SypMp5Pyzu1lJdCKA1X5dWyzRNYS5Vcz1aEcrB-elfjA9arhUw0HVAMcfFz_jliuqZ5zcHrVjQuuPVRTo8S_yRTNCVH2HniAMhxnk7-ZO6dptW8D6RfTUjJVl6VQ2aOptk/s1600/0A1F1B3B-0345-4FD1-A199-4D4787D59107.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3MMZI_M13SypMp5Pyzu1lJdCKA1X5dWyzRNYS5Vcz1aEcrB-elfjA9arhUw0HVAMcfFz_jliuqZ5zcHrVjQuuPVRTo8S_yRTNCVH2HniAMhxnk7-ZO6dptW8D6RfTUjJVl6VQ2aOptk/s640/0A1F1B3B-0345-4FD1-A199-4D4787D59107.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The huge Nymphaeum was the main water fountain of Jarash with water cascading through 7 carved lion heads.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DHfLyKjFBkezbL1n6iq-rqba7WB9ZdELP6DbqzHNBeS_KQRqEBrhz21LeJMAgp_Q1JUqf5VgMOa_do19x3YbpT9Lfwp3tlKtj6SiHhiTzZVjSfXTMt7SJck-msPn-LbngzG2nE069EI/s1600/EB1565E2-A431-41A4-A2C8-51ACE1DC7B3C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-DHfLyKjFBkezbL1n6iq-rqba7WB9ZdELP6DbqzHNBeS_KQRqEBrhz21LeJMAgp_Q1JUqf5VgMOa_do19x3YbpT9Lfwp3tlKtj6SiHhiTzZVjSfXTMt7SJck-msPn-LbngzG2nE069EI/s640/EB1565E2-A431-41A4-A2C8-51ACE1DC7B3C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one and only sign we saw addressing litter, but it's only an offense if you throw it from your vehicle window.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICkYkk5wQpy06yk0cOEI4x47uGn3lmsziqsDfZ5pxrFm1WQl5QoTTq8zwStM9D_VdZ49hErmraTf1-Q3-_DRYu9b_Mi3MjzhwvdF1dRI-iiSkhGDRW2f1PS3R5dPEP5NILXwi5HU59n4/s1600/B282549D-1A9D-44C0-ABBA-33680E8088E9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICkYkk5wQpy06yk0cOEI4x47uGn3lmsziqsDfZ5pxrFm1WQl5QoTTq8zwStM9D_VdZ49hErmraTf1-Q3-_DRYu9b_Mi3MjzhwvdF1dRI-iiSkhGDRW2f1PS3R5dPEP5NILXwi5HU59n4/s640/B282549D-1A9D-44C0-ABBA-33680E8088E9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How did the driver get that car up on that rock to picnic?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTP0-JLislqijIu5GaE-owcfva-zKeiBrxth4tzT7kx3Yfzea7BTiFlqkioWuQyqmeNd_2MBUXERqIZIZt0m2i93rV8umv_LC2wBXrUajqTRRlNaYK4yR1-9etjmAGSXYgLXXuBIxpB8/s1600/7CA3C7A8-86B3-4CD9-B895-2486F6B4B260.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1122" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTP0-JLislqijIu5GaE-owcfva-zKeiBrxth4tzT7kx3Yfzea7BTiFlqkioWuQyqmeNd_2MBUXERqIZIZt0m2i93rV8umv_LC2wBXrUajqTRRlNaYK4yR1-9etjmAGSXYgLXXuBIxpB8/s640/7CA3C7A8-86B3-4CD9-B895-2486F6B4B260.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And we thought we had picnicked in some odd places. Never on a bridge...yet.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfWvindF7V4RollqgaRgLDRaXR9vCeRys1zo6WGPSLA1YyeuIJ-ewX9JTAVtge2-ejlCB9cJU9dHoXQZs0sBvk7T8uk2_JQV8v2hLmlut3NF1TrA51c7SiHBfltaiQUdcLn4ZzZvyk-I/s1600/7D7FB470-185D-4C89-AF93-CE3E9AF6B610.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfWvindF7V4RollqgaRgLDRaXR9vCeRys1zo6WGPSLA1YyeuIJ-ewX9JTAVtge2-ejlCB9cJU9dHoXQZs0sBvk7T8uk2_JQV8v2hLmlut3NF1TrA51c7SiHBfltaiQUdcLn4ZzZvyk-I/s640/7D7FB470-185D-4C89-AF93-CE3E9AF6B610.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along freeways in Amman, vendors selling fresh produce are a common sight.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJCCnfHI2HFQfOaXeroKx6RFSsbqneCT6sFiuelq-iDy_KzW22z2aqS2qPk_UmSJ7E-xCk8f6aX2vtIuojEWrjMWd2fBHo2gB8QL5D5DhQmHNmy8ueGNIhtOS1zSRwkcSMJRMdU1OpsA/s1600/16D0F667-DEE8-44B9-BB26-9792DA953930.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1600" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJCCnfHI2HFQfOaXeroKx6RFSsbqneCT6sFiuelq-iDy_KzW22z2aqS2qPk_UmSJ7E-xCk8f6aX2vtIuojEWrjMWd2fBHo2gB8QL5D5DhQmHNmy8ueGNIhtOS1zSRwkcSMJRMdU1OpsA/s640/16D0F667-DEE8-44B9-BB26-9792DA953930.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Livestock should be seen and not herd. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44qrA176vhQP-V-M5jNs1GolSIWp8mVWaylZuVfqt3jooZzYHS37638Quf9lBNB3MkXk3cX6MC-HIn9lNJvHolITtd4YaZwaGCntIlnrHZQAJkwT2lIqEAZ6SIZbmdXmR_RuGYVTS_i0/s1600/044D339F-5E16-4A9D-BAF8-6D3FC81617EC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1135" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44qrA176vhQP-V-M5jNs1GolSIWp8mVWaylZuVfqt3jooZzYHS37638Quf9lBNB3MkXk3cX6MC-HIn9lNJvHolITtd4YaZwaGCntIlnrHZQAJkwT2lIqEAZ6SIZbmdXmR_RuGYVTS_i0/s640/044D339F-5E16-4A9D-BAF8-6D3FC81617EC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same familiar shape and lettering, but here with a yield sign. Does the driver get to choose?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijCAhvf5RG5v3OORr7-5yZKSshNCAHjg7ushlv5SxYnDdTx7NU04bbpFxGaU7Egw8g-h0wQZRjQz2DbDxLWVHo_JTgEXJ41nUnTNRfsnWSAvO-PX1HBYIfYQcryKQHGLnouqalqUBXbs/s1600/FEC717E2-AE7D-4F39-A4FB-7E3266B4BD97.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijCAhvf5RG5v3OORr7-5yZKSshNCAHjg7ushlv5SxYnDdTx7NU04bbpFxGaU7Egw8g-h0wQZRjQz2DbDxLWVHo_JTgEXJ41nUnTNRfsnWSAvO-PX1HBYIfYQcryKQHGLnouqalqUBXbs/s640/FEC717E2-AE7D-4F39-A4FB-7E3266B4BD97.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Numerous Crusader-era castles such as this one at Shobak can be found around the country.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-19333384715287353902019-04-23T07:24:00.000-04:002019-04-24T05:15:14.881-04:00Barcelona Is for Architecture Lovers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 6: IN WHICH WE PUT ALL OUR EGGS IN THE WRONG BASKET<br />
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<strong>Stepping into the Past, Days 19-24: Malta to Barcelona.</strong> Barcelona is well-known as the epicenter of Catalan Modernist architecture. Its most popular attractions are the architectural creations of favorite native son, Antoni Gaudí. When Gaudí graduated from the Barcelona Architecture School, after his tenure as a mediocre student, the school's director reportedly remarked, "We have given this academic title to either a fool or a genius. Time will show." <br />
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History would record that Gaudí subsequently proved to be the latter. There is no mistaking his designs. They are ground-breaking and unique and reflect his distinctive style, and most are located in Barcelona. His most famous is the Church of Sagrada Família (the Holy Family), one of the most visited sites in all of Spain.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklPS8cDJYsm3vJE3RiKiRX9m6RsWR2LL9cE1vWdAAourIPoEx6O3QeVkJI3KOzR_z14_VMWZ9NC6Sfhj-3xdVEuu04ffIKD6u0GfpzT2Jmbdwy_Ld9BBxndUjnHr_CGCMXYtzh4PXnEw/s1600/SagradaFamilia-Wikimedia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1318" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklPS8cDJYsm3vJE3RiKiRX9m6RsWR2LL9cE1vWdAAourIPoEx6O3QeVkJI3KOzR_z14_VMWZ9NC6Sfhj-3xdVEuu04ffIKD6u0GfpzT2Jmbdwy_Ld9BBxndUjnHr_CGCMXYtzh4PXnEw/s640/SagradaFamilia-Wikimedia.jpg" width="526" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Sagrada Familia (photo from Wikimedia)</td></tr>
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Gaudí took charge of the project a year after the foundation stone was laid in 1882, scrapping the
original Gothic design plans in favor of his unique interpretation of Modernism. By the time of his death in 1926, the building was about 20% complete. Vandalism during the Spanish Civil War and a 2011 fire disrupted the building’s progress.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Z6YAdmywIKkpy3uQMUbS8NFyuHnJs0GJ5TkK8MW6cCQcQTpH_zWK0l-Q394iIVJeUq-Ic6kJRD5BI_34wDtxX-6ZuAq6uXCLA6DKhacQS4mBAenW5TvFGXW-jVM7_RWMQP_1wwNHqio/s1600/ES-BCN-sagr-fam-mod-01_-_updated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Z6YAdmywIKkpy3uQMUbS8NFyuHnJs0GJ5TkK8MW6cCQcQTpH_zWK0l-Q394iIVJeUq-Ic6kJRD5BI_34wDtxX-6ZuAq6uXCLA6DKhacQS4mBAenW5TvFGXW-jVM7_RWMQP_1wwNHqio/s320/ES-BCN-sagr-fam-mod-01_-_updated.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(photo from Wikipedia)</td></tr>
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The church’s interior is defined by columns that stretch like tree branches toward the ceiling. Gaudí’s plans call for 18 spires, eight of which are complete, as well as numerous towers, chapels, portals, and other interior features. When built, the tallest spire, symbolizing Jesus Christ, is expected to secure Sagrada Família’s place as the world’s largest church building.<br />
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But the building is far from complete. Projections that construction may wind up by 2026, the hundredth anniversary of Gaudí's death, seem overly optimistic, given that so much is left to be done. (See the 2018 model of the plan to the right. Parts already constructed are shown in tan.) Gaudí is buried in the crypt of a chapel to the left of the Sagrada Família altar, so he will be present for what will be a grand celebration when the project is finally completed.<br />
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Though it is by far his most ambitious project, the church is not the only popular Barcelona attraction bestowed on the city by Gaudí. Two homes he designed are also at the top of most visitors' must-see lists: Casa Batlló and Casa Milà. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bHtHNqVPX-9vqvHVtdgrKjW1Vg2JYQj0QnbAnHNv2LOsjyNcf9jOAzmJg3ZsMeK2VTeHt39YmEuduEC8cCYqQUxIxDu94htdwct7QETKWhC9hOAySVcYBy2cS0TBm5DvX3rgVzFMHYo/s1600/Casa_Batllo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1299" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bHtHNqVPX-9vqvHVtdgrKjW1Vg2JYQj0QnbAnHNv2LOsjyNcf9jOAzmJg3ZsMeK2VTeHt39YmEuduEC8cCYqQUxIxDu94htdwct7QETKWhC9hOAySVcYBy2cS0TBm5DvX3rgVzFMHYo/s640/Casa_Batllo.jpg" width="518" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Casa Batlló (photo from Wikimedia)</td></tr>
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Known among locals as the “house of bones,” Batlló reflects Gaudí’s transformation of a pedestrian middle-class residence into a work of art. Designed to look more like the organic layers of an animal than a private home, the house has few straight lines. Much of the exterior is decorated with colorful mosaics made from broken ceramic tiles, and the roof line resembles a dragon’s back. Currently the front of the building is covered with scaffolding and a canvas, as it undergoes restoration.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgFsfjpqKTShZZwkRB1p2A7knk8zao3hZuo6zWlzZexFL4gnxVMBHlysk8PhxdIgQREc1-GSSDk6vQC7-fX5EBHxCKNKoQG3SrR5-OV7Bpv9Ba1OD2oj-bfsk-sQkATsUvW7gwGnZwfs/s1600/4AB41439-ECC4-4C80-BB5B-1CF98BA5FD03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghgFsfjpqKTShZZwkRB1p2A7knk8zao3hZuo6zWlzZexFL4gnxVMBHlysk8PhxdIgQREc1-GSSDk6vQC7-fX5EBHxCKNKoQG3SrR5-OV7Bpv9Ba1OD2oj-bfsk-sQkATsUvW7gwGnZwfs/s640/4AB41439-ECC4-4C80-BB5B-1CF98BA5FD03.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Casa Milà</td></tr>
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Completed in 1912, Casa Milà was the last private residence designed by the famous architect. Its undulating stone façade and twisting iron balconies thrust the house into a neighborhood controversy and attracted unwanted attention from city officials. In the end, the local government forced the alteration of Gaudí’s original plans, ordering demolition of elements that exceeded height standards and fining the owners for numerous building code infractions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRnoknkZsVEj5n4EIRNQw6SzDi_V0WmOSrT3HeTFqzrZlalYvh9HnDyp-C8dQsXqoCFR7xkGl985zCeng5O5R0r-5UlbzPdeg9BCu707axDT3sdy6YWRM7fuNOa6zV3gXEhRxQXHzbNU/s1600/F574B43D-BC85-4A25-AFE9-AB8C9B3A275C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRnoknkZsVEj5n4EIRNQw6SzDi_V0WmOSrT3HeTFqzrZlalYvh9HnDyp-C8dQsXqoCFR7xkGl985zCeng5O5R0r-5UlbzPdeg9BCu707axDT3sdy6YWRM7fuNOa6zV3gXEhRxQXHzbNU/s640/F574B43D-BC85-4A25-AFE9-AB8C9B3A275C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random building near Casa Milà</td></tr>
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As remarkable as these and other Modernist structures are, they are not Barcelona’s only claims to architectural fame. The city is replete with architectural gems, many of which would generate special mention in most cities, but in Barcelona’s collection of riches, they’re just another bauble.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoL1yEiYAdY45fYpRuazekn3EtsB7dtOhqh-2gdUATzhgATysvfWCHM5B706FrAmDgF6XwEXYm7fDsmGUt5SuK2vyqaFDj-_7ps8LsqWCDuiOEHa6vSFX27Xo5EJZxAKk6E8J849Z3HA/s1600/83A246A0-ED94-4651-A70B-B262496373FE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1157" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoL1yEiYAdY45fYpRuazekn3EtsB7dtOhqh-2gdUATzhgATysvfWCHM5B706FrAmDgF6XwEXYm7fDsmGUt5SuK2vyqaFDj-_7ps8LsqWCDuiOEHa6vSFX27Xo5EJZxAKk6E8J849Z3HA/s640/83A246A0-ED94-4651-A70B-B262496373FE.jpeg" width="462" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sant Pau</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another masterpiece of Catalan Modernism is the Hospital de Sant Pau complex built between 1901 and 1930. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, like Sagrada Família, Sant Pau has been called the largest Art Nouveau complex in the world. Named for a wealthy Catalan banker who left his estate to the city for the construction of a hospital, Sant Pau was a fully functioning hospital until 2009. Today it is used as a popular museum and cultural center.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_wnzvtMEWG1-BdCZEugZWR_ESTq77qOrPpSR3q67kqPXD0zFIm6QKQeJXsR1veHCDMYy3os-nxAldWGdFJK1dQXG-RxsCDYM0XcEAvH87dwtEZz9gi3iGrLZPDZj6X8IRpp0DEfrcBQ/s1600/092277B7-B70B-4A56-BE29-B90C4E80CB62.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1337" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_wnzvtMEWG1-BdCZEugZWR_ESTq77qOrPpSR3q67kqPXD0zFIm6QKQeJXsR1veHCDMYy3os-nxAldWGdFJK1dQXG-RxsCDYM0XcEAvH87dwtEZz9gi3iGrLZPDZj6X8IRpp0DEfrcBQ/s640/092277B7-B70B-4A56-BE29-B90C4E80CB62.jpeg" width="534" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The Ohla Hotel sees the city.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The architect charged with transforming this historic building into a boutique hotel engaged an artist to create a design on the building's exterior that would 'bring soul' to this former department store. Four years later came the installation of 1,000 basketball-sized ceramic eyeballs pointing in various directions on the building's facade, giving the Ohla Hotel its distinctive appearance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMed9tD_VsWnqFRuDZuR1-mbcdRQh7BBUFoV9A74BzyXAoyPtV7xSduIk6slnfFS2eDfIW8YYeJDYlY-H3A11r86OV410pcSFlz3yL4FjAAj2gpWg3bhzFykNrSuFdN1cfZUOo1peJZS4/s1600/CABA49AF-FBB4-4A97-A87F-05AB69EFC318.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMed9tD_VsWnqFRuDZuR1-mbcdRQh7BBUFoV9A74BzyXAoyPtV7xSduIk6slnfFS2eDfIW8YYeJDYlY-H3A11r86OV410pcSFlz3yL4FjAAj2gpWg3bhzFykNrSuFdN1cfZUOo1peJZS4/s640/CABA49AF-FBB4-4A97-A87F-05AB69EFC318.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arc de Triomf</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Arc de Triomf was built as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair. Designed in Moorish Revival style of red brick, the arch overlooks a wide promenade, a popular gathering place and a pathway to Citadel Park, the city’s signature green space. (A more famous entrance gate designed by Gustave Eiffel was constructed for the next year’s world’s fair in Paris.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yTFE3n83m-XwO92KHztoH1pwj9-3sARhX-OjvOqWfOfEP-3DDfKsDOjpB5kuRuIEZPSofDhBeyVzDZxo8ZY3wpPvyme3n8ZaxiNL42NXm-SH1tuY3VbPN5R0Rv_qnYHhl7ZLz5UC4HU/s1600/184CFA3F-9163-4831-A038-7DC30BF58529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yTFE3n83m-XwO92KHztoH1pwj9-3sARhX-OjvOqWfOfEP-3DDfKsDOjpB5kuRuIEZPSofDhBeyVzDZxo8ZY3wpPvyme3n8ZaxiNL42NXm-SH1tuY3VbPN5R0Rv_qnYHhl7ZLz5UC4HU/s640/184CFA3F-9163-4831-A038-7DC30BF58529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palau Nacional</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another building constructed to welcome visitors from abroad was the Palau Nacional (National Palace), which served as the main site of the 1929 International Exhibition. Sitting majestically on the hill of Montjuic, the Spanish Renaissance building later became home to the National Art Museum of Catalonia.<br />
<br />
And just walking around the city, one comes across a wealth of architectural treasures which merit no particular attention in the context of Barcelona’s abundance but are immensely pleasing to the eye.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_RtIJJH3-CHzHh5QO2g6FqWvP5eXE22Mpsfdr-hMUDPYjwm8LAWwI0vDU4kYY65B82QJawwCSWHciDYvDUS4rTFhKShM34A2rfMhQoHoCMroZ4VeJRV3zf-2Oz7GcJR-mbwsggYirrA/s1600/9E91B9C7-1521-4EB2-8659-7193E2FC91F1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_RtIJJH3-CHzHh5QO2g6FqWvP5eXE22Mpsfdr-hMUDPYjwm8LAWwI0vDU4kYY65B82QJawwCSWHciDYvDUS4rTFhKShM34A2rfMhQoHoCMroZ4VeJRV3zf-2Oz7GcJR-mbwsggYirrA/s640/9E91B9C7-1521-4EB2-8659-7193E2FC91F1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spain outlawed bullfighting, so the old arena became a shopping center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwYSyx21rnhMnbe2G39RwAJQY8hWlIAikxBeodEZ8w6_RQypXUu8gg65dSL9WjRdK77kYw_9ziZaeDe4JfI9tzgZOWht4b-sfigwCOfwTDG2yr0sErn6btu30-PgQrk8ruJRvyy4b1QU/s1600/8795EF3F-4363-45B4-BAD4-34C2E0DE4D60.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwYSyx21rnhMnbe2G39RwAJQY8hWlIAikxBeodEZ8w6_RQypXUu8gg65dSL9WjRdK77kYw_9ziZaeDe4JfI9tzgZOWht4b-sfigwCOfwTDG2yr0sErn6btu30-PgQrk8ruJRvyy4b1QU/s640/8795EF3F-4363-45B4-BAD4-34C2E0DE4D60.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catalonia Palace of Justice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVja-_V5eH3nX4pc6hH6Mk0Cl1p7U3AS1mQfW-5uP_UEYMfAioWPHZUWwMTnJDsk8Iky_WKaLszgdljZZgA1RmO67m_DO7R5PHN7zI92kziBCiS9fL_tw9ejRA_l7192pt-amnghL6MQ/s1600/7D3B7CC1-4425-44BD-B51F-1A1365534FA3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVja-_V5eH3nX4pc6hH6Mk0Cl1p7U3AS1mQfW-5uP_UEYMfAioWPHZUWwMTnJDsk8Iky_WKaLszgdljZZgA1RmO67m_DO7R5PHN7zI92kziBCiS9fL_tw9ejRA_l7192pt-amnghL6MQ/s640/7D3B7CC1-4425-44BD-B51F-1A1365534FA3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail from an unnamed building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_kJQwvRfVIK4kGY7119HRAt2ZX0yE9T-jPbuOH6uMmnv-jWg-VWKJHRG_dnyGtc2O5hZNSozAcVM6afSfNv1zIRGmNr8Y8MK-kSRNLkzdlIU8fB-Q5jRQaURwyL886aVPehg5ec0zio/s1600/77636CF6-C47F-4216-A635-C12751F819DF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_kJQwvRfVIK4kGY7119HRAt2ZX0yE9T-jPbuOH6uMmnv-jWg-VWKJHRG_dnyGtc2O5hZNSozAcVM6afSfNv1zIRGmNr8Y8MK-kSRNLkzdlIU8fB-Q5jRQaURwyL886aVPehg5ec0zio/s640/77636CF6-C47F-4216-A635-C12751F819DF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art Nouveau confection</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yqEOXcJO759M-S6b0tZx2aopnaGQ8BDqy5YdYMxs8KYyk3os9a67zHRtgMmUfN9tOh4jl5oC4fXDDvsgWL-bPh477s3ADrWsNVTZNYW3LUsnBvsALBqG6wHY6cs7KZqNfQwFNXgBHRo/s1600/030FE22E-282A-4C1B-B6B1-2D9538739A2F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yqEOXcJO759M-S6b0tZx2aopnaGQ8BDqy5YdYMxs8KYyk3os9a67zHRtgMmUfN9tOh4jl5oC4fXDDvsgWL-bPh477s3ADrWsNVTZNYW3LUsnBvsALBqG6wHY6cs7KZqNfQwFNXgBHRo/s640/030FE22E-282A-4C1B-B6B1-2D9538739A2F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More random Art Nouveau</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPABm9hEJvw35mHjPqL-5NX_tzY6ktdbtThSteGNffdL9drjf9ioElvlHPE3DVbsssfF28UMVnIMRhQWiQtOmki1fAdCQmOMroUTkhCw1gyOsS-KteaS3zqNFY138Ipjj-8fMpLB89ds/s1600/0BC22437-0CF4-4A63-9B07-0F8BE257629D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPABm9hEJvw35mHjPqL-5NX_tzY6ktdbtThSteGNffdL9drjf9ioElvlHPE3DVbsssfF28UMVnIMRhQWiQtOmki1fAdCQmOMroUTkhCw1gyOsS-KteaS3zqNFY138Ipjj-8fMpLB89ds/s640/0BC22437-0CF4-4A63-9B07-0F8BE257629D.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Barcelona does funky, too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Resurrecting Old Easter Errors</b><br />
It comes as no surprise that we again plunged headfirst into a four-day Easter holiday without adequate planning. Incredibly, we managed to do this three times last April in the Balkans—Catholic Easter in Slovakia, Orthodox Easter the following week in Romania, and, another week later, Memorial Easter in Moldova. Naively, we thought we had learned our lesson. We were wrong.<br />
<br />
In our initial draft for this trip, we would have been in Israel this weekend, but came to our senses when we realized the country would be flooded with visitors from two religions with Easter and Passover coinciding. We recalculated and pushed that stop into May. Then we wavered between Barcelona and Andorra for Easter weekend, finally settling on Andorra.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OyU1V-qa15WSCKof018axOEWeDnkBsIbWtHc25251Pl6wypq-e20uIkYa97-2YO7-YOhJb_7_Z4BDJy0rg7uYy7DIl9vgmO6_RGbjJ0mpjasT_zw8v5_GAw5xa9w070aoANp5j4KSyU/s1600/54D489F3-9E88-4788-AF76-AFDC4A14B3BD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OyU1V-qa15WSCKof018axOEWeDnkBsIbWtHc25251Pl6wypq-e20uIkYa97-2YO7-YOhJb_7_Z4BDJy0rg7uYy7DIl9vgmO6_RGbjJ0mpjasT_zw8v5_GAw5xa9w070aoANp5j4KSyU/s640/54D489F3-9E88-4788-AF76-AFDC4A14B3BD.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing the sights in Andorra</td></tr>
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Apparently, thousands of other people had the same notion. About a mile inside the Andorra border on Saturday, we came to a dead stop in the midst of an overheated holiday traffic jam. We were just ten kilometers from our hotel, but in the next half an hour, we advanced only half a kilometer. The odds did not look good, so as soon as we crawled to a traffic circle, we followed it around 360° and headed back south to Barcelona, stopping just long enough to plant a drive-by letterbox in an Andorran guardrail.<br />
<br />
And we learned that not just the Easter holidays but the entire Holy Week in Barcelona attracts many thousands of Spaniards to the city, in addition to the foreign visitors. Even though we were aware that tickets to the Gaudí hotspots needed to be purchased in advance, our intentions to get that done while traveling fell by the wayside so we were unable to enter any of the sites, prompting us to add Barcelona to our “must return to” list.<br />
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<b>What's Next?</b><br />
Now we leave Europe and head to the Middle East—seven days in Jordan followed by nine days in Israel. With lots of historic sites on our agenda in these neighboring countries, we're looking forward to our first visit to the area in 40 years.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">WEDNESDAY, 17 APRIL—MONDAY, 22 APRIL, 2019</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRTQiX7FK9khLii4olWTM_CpNCohj1xvysW0mdi30go7lZfdUDPQbwMtGRDnVTo8f7_GEyyCzwyHVIqE1y1smu8NoSmQVA5SZ9wPTVporMqYKZ1DK96RmTSGuEijmsRL9rN6-MLGJG2Q/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRTQiX7FK9khLii4olWTM_CpNCohj1xvysW0mdi30go7lZfdUDPQbwMtGRDnVTo8f7_GEyyCzwyHVIqE1y1smu8NoSmQVA5SZ9wPTVporMqYKZ1DK96RmTSGuEijmsRL9rN6-MLGJG2Q/s640/IMG_0541.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 6 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Valletta, Malta<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Barcelona, Spain<br />
• <b>Air Miles: </b>760<br />
• <b>Foot Miles: </b>34.6<br />
• <b>Road Miles to Andorra & back:</b> 232<br />
• <b>Highway Tolls to Andorra & back: </b>$59.76<br />
• <b>Gas to Andorra & back:</b> $42.20 ($6.04/gallon)<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 52° to 68°, windy, windy, windy<br />
• <b>Motorcycles in Barcelona:</b> 59,271<br />
• <b>Architectural Delights: </b>too many to count<br />
• <b>Street cats: </b>0<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Loved:</b> The eye candy provided by Barcelona’s many architectural jewels, both the acclaimed and the unsung. The ease of traveling around the city with its extensive public transit system.
<br />
<b><br />
Lacking: </b>Tickets to the most popular attractions.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> We’d say we’ve learned our lesson about Easter, but future lapses in judgement may prove us wrong as we do love to travel in April.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK_N_IfD4z_9MIWJsgTEDuIahyphenhyphenIKZZyEO4-zitwQczEWPD1yt3UcmzEVxfTS6FYaDFYjdnTYuYBVwy9sxFLgL_5aLcnQoaPDIjrqLLPdQxzUwDcnqB275uAGJ4rLehOqorD6ayENcVJM/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="1600" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK_N_IfD4z_9MIWJsgTEDuIahyphenhyphenIKZZyEO4-zitwQczEWPD1yt3UcmzEVxfTS6FYaDFYjdnTYuYBVwy9sxFLgL_5aLcnQoaPDIjrqLLPdQxzUwDcnqB275uAGJ4rLehOqorD6ayENcVJM/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">A Fair Fare Affair</span></b> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dF2f9zWnGIqSCZZ8-BuYY-0WvznOSAX3CQwGZqR78U6MxxV8z-QjkGkG50xpQdtqYNos8flCMELwhfOU9Q-_G-dBGR8jjWfhuSGHDe2vJJBxt0EmlMslQ3PBWGSsUqs8IuqKkrB8OoE/s1600/Barcelona+Subway+Map.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dF2f9zWnGIqSCZZ8-BuYY-0WvznOSAX3CQwGZqR78U6MxxV8z-QjkGkG50xpQdtqYNos8flCMELwhfOU9Q-_G-dBGR8jjWfhuSGHDe2vJJBxt0EmlMslQ3PBWGSsUqs8IuqKkrB8OoE/s400/Barcelona+Subway+Map.png" width="400" /></a>Though the stations can’t match those in Athens for cleanliness, Barcelona’s Metro system is superb. Almost any spot in the city has a rapid transit station nearby, a feature usually found only in much larger cities. And the cost is beyond reasonable: $1.12 per ride in the city, $5.17 to/from the airport. Check <a href="https://www.itsmarta.com/images/train-stations-map.jpg" target="_blank">here</a> to compare the rapid transit map of Atlanta with a metro population of 6.5 million with this graphic of the Barcelona system that serves 5.5 million.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZdzmtR_2AVvY0Dc2XKkG9RetHpf_CEle1oiX2CCSwkNblPGzopn9fQB4OXzLlniuRcBCYtZv5DBIS84csdH5YP9BBEG0bs8E_ps7q1ZdHovULHeO2mG43NKY7Okakd0X4iQAu1sN2lk/s1600/1479E0BC-AD21-4D8E-814D-AD7C3F316468.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZdzmtR_2AVvY0Dc2XKkG9RetHpf_CEle1oiX2CCSwkNblPGzopn9fQB4OXzLlniuRcBCYtZv5DBIS84csdH5YP9BBEG0bs8E_ps7q1ZdHovULHeO2mG43NKY7Okakd0X4iQAu1sN2lk/s640/1479E0BC-AD21-4D8E-814D-AD7C3F316468.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avenue Diagonal</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">In Plain Sight </span></b></div>
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Plane trees (called sycamore in the US) are popular choices for urban boulevards in Europe. Unlike Paris, London and other European cities, Barcelona allows its planes to grow to their normal height rather than stunting them with extreme pruning. This natural growth offers both shade and a certain majesty along Barcelona sidewalks. Compare an example of mutilation pruning in England <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DjTe9gWXsAATdAY.jpg" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKCzTRSGKHn38E0OYKJJ2hyrsVsj1iOz6DhNhw2inK35Ix2JxdaC4PvPa5W-SSNa0bkVV0VwvJjoqKc026Hs95lIf7f07c-TuNA54pQqnuWA3sEBQHR7MBpMLf0yo78xz5JlRnmxR7Cs/s1600/9022EE16-5921-4968-9D86-F1EBE7EB2EC2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKCzTRSGKHn38E0OYKJJ2hyrsVsj1iOz6DhNhw2inK35Ix2JxdaC4PvPa5W-SSNa0bkVV0VwvJjoqKc026Hs95lIf7f07c-TuNA54pQqnuWA3sEBQHR7MBpMLf0yo78xz5JlRnmxR7Cs/s640/9022EE16-5921-4968-9D86-F1EBE7EB2EC2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beware motorcyclists with malevolent intentions.</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">That's Evil, Knievel </span></b></div>
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When we picked up our rental car from Hertz in Barcelona for our ill-fated trip to Andorra, the agent alerted us that motorcyclists have been known to ride up beside a car and point to a tire indicating it is flat. When the driver stops, the cyclist stabs the tire to puncture it. What the next step in this scam would be, he didn’t say and we didn’t bother to ask, knowing we wouldn't allow it to happen, thanks to his warning.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSLZ9aPPY_0an8TrhcdSmGQWEmxxu-3vFRfhnJtsDPjc6tfHrwuM0Zb8Fft35c8WC36jq1CZzS4ur6jb8yXAuDiHgMS1EC1Bc81cLooXDAUvC3pxIyy28QmsQ0NI02TNz6fMmMvBBNlA/s1600/6E76CC1E-E48F-4942-9183-6813E90CA46F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1600" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSLZ9aPPY_0an8TrhcdSmGQWEmxxu-3vFRfhnJtsDPjc6tfHrwuM0Zb8Fft35c8WC36jq1CZzS4ur6jb8yXAuDiHgMS1EC1Bc81cLooXDAUvC3pxIyy28QmsQ0NI02TNz6fMmMvBBNlA/s640/6E76CC1E-E48F-4942-9183-6813E90CA46F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martinet</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Now You See It... </span></b></div>
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Driving in northern Spain, we were startled when we rounded a steep curve in a rural area and suddenly found ourselves in the full-blown town of Martinet. After passing through the densly developed town, we exited just as abruptly as we had entered, back in a rural landscape again. This kind of development is typical of what we see in European countries, but this was particularly surprising because of the curved approach.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQwQ6N7MF0xC61MCy4NbLXnuu0o65bgJnNdRJcnG6m-hf2R6hmJpW7a9NbvkTdouVeGqpx900Ko7RZ6AWfSXb3ZJ2Ye8jhXorscKHrb9CoM7G0vaFprSrCLkCDlseUBzC_9A7hjK-jn8/s1600/D591E8FB-3544-4DDB-84B4-76880C97732F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQwQ6N7MF0xC61MCy4NbLXnuu0o65bgJnNdRJcnG6m-hf2R6hmJpW7a9NbvkTdouVeGqpx900Ko7RZ6AWfSXb3ZJ2Ye8jhXorscKHrb9CoM7G0vaFprSrCLkCDlseUBzC_9A7hjK-jn8/s640/D591E8FB-3544-4DDB-84B4-76880C97732F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8gcjtLH9jT4I7ByFvsnakump4J2MOhyphenhyphenPW6NrBKMYbeptJXEiIvwpCTynUDUO-k_poUgEddIZj8ZoLw2jI6ncFkqd52804kt7EY9YrNO-AwYk5T1OemEcvVCu-AjyFRtJW4A59FLAG_E/s1600/FB5D10DF-6143-47CC-822B-4F18C32F1E00.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1194" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8gcjtLH9jT4I7ByFvsnakump4J2MOhyphenhyphenPW6NrBKMYbeptJXEiIvwpCTynUDUO-k_poUgEddIZj8ZoLw2jI6ncFkqd52804kt7EY9YrNO-AwYk5T1OemEcvVCu-AjyFRtJW4A59FLAG_E/s640/FB5D10DF-6143-47CC-822B-4F18C32F1E00.jpeg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathedral of Barcelona, constructed 13th to 15th century</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXPoFEsJcUYAE7FQD4foWH6UbFxOx0Ck8JgnXKDdBMZJyzcWAYnajsiKR_kkXlPLftUwmRX0ncTfNIiglDa4-R5yw0VLJnzBBhWEYnb5Z4RUZfpaZpWZ3ScYCRmTGRXxw6V37u3j_LDE/s1600/6764A7A2-CE86-456F-9E5F-F9DC33CB2DA8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXPoFEsJcUYAE7FQD4foWH6UbFxOx0Ck8JgnXKDdBMZJyzcWAYnajsiKR_kkXlPLftUwmRX0ncTfNIiglDa4-R5yw0VLJnzBBhWEYnb5Z4RUZfpaZpWZ3ScYCRmTGRXxw6V37u3j_LDE/s640/6764A7A2-CE86-456F-9E5F-F9DC33CB2DA8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Train frequency meant we rarely waited for a subway ride.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7QgNMMzGPaGMH6GZRtz73Hm0d4y8KdcHZ9RCqA73b0y7KZ778y4xH95kH34bV5yMNY58YWkuK6YyT8IcSaJrMC-NlF8n655fQFQZd7Ng2Nazcrall8uuYlK9TSvT97WL0mCu105nZTk/s1600/366403F6-D2F1-483D-BB69-7C695690B53C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1600" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7QgNMMzGPaGMH6GZRtz73Hm0d4y8KdcHZ9RCqA73b0y7KZ778y4xH95kH34bV5yMNY58YWkuK6YyT8IcSaJrMC-NlF8n655fQFQZd7Ng2Nazcrall8uuYlK9TSvT97WL0mCu105nZTk/s640/366403F6-D2F1-483D-BB69-7C695690B53C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the Palace of Justice </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVGrKbq5GVni5VN9-YUSxKrVHXlFWG5FD0kARAEeoyv5BapItyd7DEWgZDkEJJ53eEUJ-1isWIIXPB4HRY5QI5umF8fIjygOqWsoGtHf2lIYUfdcJetxrii4pWhYzG6msJCBFXtwN_lA/s1600/46308B3C-A02A-4421-AFE7-2D0C199645F9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVGrKbq5GVni5VN9-YUSxKrVHXlFWG5FD0kARAEeoyv5BapItyd7DEWgZDkEJJ53eEUJ-1isWIIXPB4HRY5QI5umF8fIjygOqWsoGtHf2lIYUfdcJetxrii4pWhYzG6msJCBFXtwN_lA/s640/46308B3C-A02A-4421-AFE7-2D0C199645F9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contemporary architecture in L'illa Diagonal shopping mall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdY3KmlQlS1_YVnBOZEUaWv2yJZSPCYGOfvBq8S6NIUm80qbc6hHlcNNOBQRgJ1MtPL3BgSafA3LG7RzhGF8bUiOkg5s1De_VmBUEvV-CYiZYL9fnZF48LnSdXZsmzBy5KfP-5W_7S98/s1600/25CB6244-F505-4095-A88C-5E09875FE6D6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdY3KmlQlS1_YVnBOZEUaWv2yJZSPCYGOfvBq8S6NIUm80qbc6hHlcNNOBQRgJ1MtPL3BgSafA3LG7RzhGF8bUiOkg5s1De_VmBUEvV-CYiZYL9fnZF48LnSdXZsmzBy5KfP-5W_7S98/s640/25CB6244-F505-4095-A88C-5E09875FE6D6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of numerous stunning viaducts between Barcelona and Andorra </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnW6Q06aAvO39xEH-TCyZPv9G3mnsZ0cxXxyzKc1mcxaPhWJhb_kJ-I2I7UAmLzcgcyvtc8em2E8hqNuarjm4xwkMgR8Q-8lGQQJeWGS054vuu4JHb2PFeXY473OcGQT9drlgGL5LCA8/s1600/38E843A3-AEFC-497A-A9D4-63AA041A0E4F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnW6Q06aAvO39xEH-TCyZPv9G3mnsZ0cxXxyzKc1mcxaPhWJhb_kJ-I2I7UAmLzcgcyvtc8em2E8hqNuarjm4xwkMgR8Q-8lGQQJeWGS054vuu4JHb2PFeXY473OcGQT9drlgGL5LCA8/s640/38E843A3-AEFC-497A-A9D4-63AA041A0E4F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lone Andorran official at the border crossing was on the phone with his back to entering cars.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBarcelona, Spain41.3850639 2.173403499999949441.1944764 1.8506799999999495 41.5756514 2.4961269999999494tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-43396116745626418612019-04-17T15:40:00.000-04:002019-04-18T10:21:36.774-04:00The Maltese Factor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 5: IN WHICH WE GET SQUEEZED<br />
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<strong>Stepping into the Past, Days 16-18: Cyprus to Malta.</strong>
Hey, Malta! You didn't have to try so hard to encourage us to move on. Really. You could have stopped after your Hertz agents asked us to put a $9,650 hold on our credit card because we declined to buy the insurance they tried to sell us. You must have been disappointed when we walked eight feet to the right and rented a car from Avis at a cheaper rate without the absurd hold requirement. (They really are trying harder!)<br />
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After that original plan was foiled, you still tried to get to us before we left the airport. Did you really think we wouldn't recognize your intentions when you had not one but two locals yell rude things at us because we took a wrong turn searching for the unsigned airport exit? And still we persisted.<br />
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We can't deny our grudging respect for your amazing powers of dissuasion once we reached the Hilton Hotel. Though we weren't daunted by your airport tests, we can't deny that they wore us down a bit. Otherwise, we would never have stepped into that trap at the hotel, where the “special welcome service” for diamond members stretched out our check-in procedure to an hour of employees repeating nonsense "information" about the hotel's amenities, all the while peddling lies to justify denying us the room upgrade to which we were entitled.<br />
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This might have worked in the day when only hotel employees could see the inventory of available rooms, but with the Hilton app, we have access to that information, too. Their attempt to put us in a "relaxation suite,” which numerous Trip Advisor reviews warned are located over a public access beach where young people party all night, was laughable. Only after pointing out to the duty manager the extreme contrast between our excruciating experience at Hilton Malta and the welcoming and efficient Hilton Nicosia did not one but two rooms of the desired type suddenly become available. Smiling unctuously, he offered us the opportunity to select which we preferred.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiG4D61HY-7XRc5NJDzNURpOuhzHZRVwab4FfbOsSkrNVAribzgleajqwiBCHa45MxAoSRY1u-EcQWEnW5xvNFJfnsBN8xKhPg9lZITjHmJXkorv_9U-ySXfPf_719SFIGcs_3vW1ilM/s1600/44D3AFC6-206A-403C-BCD7-915F412BB456.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiG4D61HY-7XRc5NJDzNURpOuhzHZRVwab4FfbOsSkrNVAribzgleajqwiBCHa45MxAoSRY1u-EcQWEnW5xvNFJfnsBN8xKhPg9lZITjHmJXkorv_9U-ySXfPf_719SFIGcs_3vW1ilM/s640/44D3AFC6-206A-403C-BCD7-915F412BB456.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too many cars!</td></tr>
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On our first full day, we drove through your frenzied Malta traffic to the old capital of Mdina. How can you possibly need 385,000 cars for your 425,000 people? After all, you're only 8 miles wide and 28 miles long.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmURPZsreMXuWoo_qbooTw4ii7mL7CrO1i-x-m9f52xGv_CValktv1iKOC8sQQLr8SF985_1WxJmUsRdaV_FJHknFzfOFOou1NlHIDprxFoLYh5MsEkaonF6lIMTFzQNpbN8g8Ww1exNU/s1600/706F1876-9CFD-423B-A1AE-7E7A3911BE31.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmURPZsreMXuWoo_qbooTw4ii7mL7CrO1i-x-m9f52xGv_CValktv1iKOC8sQQLr8SF985_1WxJmUsRdaV_FJHknFzfOFOou1NlHIDprxFoLYh5MsEkaonF6lIMTFzQNpbN8g8Ww1exNU/s640/706F1876-9CFD-423B-A1AE-7E7A3911BE31.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maltese roundabout</td></tr>
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And what's up with painting a flat red circle in a wide place where three or four or more streets intersect and calling it a roundabout with no signs to even indicate it's supposed to be a traffic circle? Have you noticed that most vehicles simply drive across the red circle instead of around it?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YcV9t609mYqDT-o_MK2gnq93nN5chE-BRkEXaoR0nZNmji3BHuZeMIjf6Iazgcjp9J5E8uGpVQOilyDUMqa2q_SCIMvfsQCwWNahmFQUyCximr1l7t8GQBVOAThpJGC3W9ABXvIB-0w/s1600/E7E1AA1B-5DE9-4928-B4B9-38054FB30758.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="1600" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YcV9t609mYqDT-o_MK2gnq93nN5chE-BRkEXaoR0nZNmji3BHuZeMIjf6Iazgcjp9J5E8uGpVQOilyDUMqa2q_SCIMvfsQCwWNahmFQUyCximr1l7t8GQBVOAThpJGC3W9ABXvIB-0w/s640/E7E1AA1B-5DE9-4928-B4B9-38054FB30758.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Should we or shouldn't we take this narrow road located near a quarry sending out big trucks?</td></tr>
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And, while we're on the subject of traffic, why are massive buses and large dump trucks routed on narrow roads?<br />
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But back to Mdina. When we arrived, you offered up a small car park that was full to bursting, supervised by a couple of guys who were surreptitiously soliciting a bit of baksheesh to allow the dozen drivers trolling around the lot a chance at the spots that vacated. When we took an empty without paying the bribe, you gave the parking attendant a chance for revenge. "It's raining!" he smirked as we pulled into a space we thought we were due after 25 minutes of circling. And at that moment, the sky opened up with a deluge. Devious. And effective. We called it a day and gave up on Mdina. Clearly you were wearing us down.<br />
<br />
That evening, with the rest of the world, we watched on TV the horrifying sight of Notre Dame burning in Paris. Somberly, the following day we had an urge to visit some medieval churches, and you for once didn't bite us in the butt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ4rc_HSJY9Op_bWu_-j1ToPP05iWU7KRauf4I7YqAcn6H7ROqiav0xm9ZgZgHC6lKf4bvYpN5h-T2sdXlfTTWVhO7q9KF5IxpMxF-wm-es-G6f0YwoeVyZSls18eCn1dw78C6j48Ysk/s1600/67D46583-E38C-46DE-A611-B215AE44D1EA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ4rc_HSJY9Op_bWu_-j1ToPP05iWU7KRauf4I7YqAcn6H7ROqiav0xm9ZgZgHC6lKf4bvYpN5h-T2sdXlfTTWVhO7q9KF5IxpMxF-wm-es-G6f0YwoeVyZSls18eCn1dw78C6j48Ysk/s640/67D46583-E38C-46DE-A611-B215AE44D1EA.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Lady of Victory Church, Valletta</td></tr>
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The Church of Our Lady of Victory was the first building erected in Valletta, Malta's capital, located where the first stone of the city was laid in 1566. Dedicated to commemorate the victory of the Knights of Malta, also known as the Order of St. John, over an Ottoman siege of Malta the previous year. The church was subsequently remodeled and enlarged in the 17th and 18th centuries. Ceiling frescoes from 1716 depict events from the life of Virgin. We were the only visitors in this stunning sanctuary. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJunPUrWBSECZU3QAX2e3O4aI-I_5hV163rnroRvPvW0b6wJQCi74xmQ25iPYkBTF9n_YFkTg51vbd3fetlSJR7dfn2K5YGexDND92uZ48DeIa9nXUZoXgBaJ7FfQU0qlASbC3PjMZ6oA/s1600/0F067CE7-09DF-4AA5-B250-EBA66D3479F1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJunPUrWBSECZU3QAX2e3O4aI-I_5hV163rnroRvPvW0b6wJQCi74xmQ25iPYkBTF9n_YFkTg51vbd3fetlSJR7dfn2K5YGexDND92uZ48DeIa9nXUZoXgBaJ7FfQU0qlASbC3PjMZ6oA/s640/0F067CE7-09DF-4AA5-B250-EBA66D3479F1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. John's Co-Cathedral</td></tr>
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In contrast, the elaborately decorated cathedral nearby was flush with admirers. Considered one of the finest examples of high Baroque architecture in Europe, St. John's Co-Cathedral is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and scenes from his life are featured. Virtually all the wall and ceiling surfaces are embellished with a wealth of carvings, gold leaf and frescoes. Competed in 1577 after five years of construction, the church's interior matched its austere exterior until the 1660s when the grand master of the Knights ordered the redecoration of the cathedral to rival elaborately ornamented churches of Rome. Quite obviously, he got what he asked for.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTzmGr7EcN1sj3bqS2bE7V4WFDsPqxqBHVmCCHDhlUleMN3a3HoZrMBGyXi08Vy-SQkwYf3mzEEe_xvEKnBr7XtNdUEEVgX1vJul_k-fw4f_SV8f1JmXcmjMANZZK-8oOrpzL3ROISLs/s1600/Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTzmGr7EcN1sj3bqS2bE7V4WFDsPqxqBHVmCCHDhlUleMN3a3HoZrMBGyXi08Vy-SQkwYf3mzEEe_xvEKnBr7XtNdUEEVgX1vJul_k-fw4f_SV8f1JmXcmjMANZZK-8oOrpzL3ROISLs/s640/Our_Lady_of_Mount_Carmel.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valletta, the Maltese capital city</td></tr>
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Even though a whopping 359 churches were available in Malta to help us assuage our grief over Notre Dame, our only other ecclesiastical stop was at the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, whose massive oval dome dominates the Valletta skyline.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2J4uZws1t4jRDtwThM2d41cT9-jga5G0LNSV47a9W0lQSbxk42CJz0d7Y8DdGSzWGzu59-sQKtBlz3ERZVDYow0aGxEJ38Hff6IEXglDeP3y7VaBvEmFn1Kc75Fe-Ait4kEbaHPm_29M/s1600/9AE90EB3-A228-4B7F-B2BF-5D42912CEB47.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2J4uZws1t4jRDtwThM2d41cT9-jga5G0LNSV47a9W0lQSbxk42CJz0d7Y8DdGSzWGzu59-sQKtBlz3ERZVDYow0aGxEJ38Hff6IEXglDeP3y7VaBvEmFn1Kc75Fe-Ait4kEbaHPm_29M/s640/9AE90EB3-A228-4B7F-B2BF-5D42912CEB47.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel</td></tr>
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Though its decor is simplistic compared with Victory and the Co-Cathedral, the sanctuary is adorned with striking red marble columns and elaborately sculpted white walls, a project completed over the course of 19 years by a single artist. The original basilica, completed in 1570, was heavily damaged during World War II and had to be rebuilt in the latter 20th century.<br />
<br />
When we entered the basilica, we found a toothless woman seated at a table with trinkets for sale and a metal tin with coins. "Donation," she said when we walked in, opening the tin and rattling the coins. <br />
<br />
We pointed to a nearby receptacle labeled in six languages, 'Donations for the Church.' "Here," I said. "No, here!" she exclaimed, rattling her tin. We again indicated the official box and she again rattled her coins.<br />
<br />
"For you?" I asked. "No!" she cried, clearly shocked at my suggestion. "For Jesus," she insisted, hand over her heart. We finally relented and put a euro in her tin. Shortly after, while exploring the nave, we saw her transferring money from Jesus's till to her purse. We shrugged, figuring he would want to help her with her dental problems. On our way out, we deposited another euro in the official box. <br />
<br />
The next day we were leaving but Malta had another surprise before we could board our flight to Barcelona. The problems began in the gate area when an airline agent walked through the waiting queue tagging some passengers’ carryon bags to be checked on the tarmac. When asked why some people’s smaller bags were targeted for the hold when other larger bags were not, the agent claimed those people were in a tour and the plane was full and there was no more space for carryons.<br />
<br />
After we challenged the unfairness and lack of logic in this reasoning, two young Spaniards behind us and an older British couple behind them did the same.
Before crossing the tarmac to the remote stand, I removed the tag that was put on my bag (Ken had none). The young couple saw me and did the same. As it turned out when we boarded, there was plenty of bin space for our bags. The British couple, who did give up theirs despite fretting about their medications and tight schedule to catch a cruise from Barcelona, had an empty bin above them when they took their seats in the row behind us, grumbling about the Maltese and their surly treatment. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRyxshGv8z4RIz7azpDCKcXaXsNJrQMA2oGVjTLpertHJwVZHLowR_HaIE-xuGMqUXbMzjUQz6b8a2UOWm1OBvth4ZrtWg_JPLrr2IgUU5CGRY_LE-AN6rV_ZN3k4UrKG0DwxqGPCaak/s1600/DE72A42A-CF3E-45FE-B209-343C67E148D4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRyxshGv8z4RIz7azpDCKcXaXsNJrQMA2oGVjTLpertHJwVZHLowR_HaIE-xuGMqUXbMzjUQz6b8a2UOWm1OBvth4ZrtWg_JPLrr2IgUU5CGRY_LE-AN6rV_ZN3k4UrKG0DwxqGPCaak/s640/DE72A42A-CF3E-45FE-B209-343C67E148D4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
In the end, we had to conclude that this tiny chunk of limestone in the Mediterranean known as Malta just has way too many cars, an excess number of tourists, more than its share of boats, and a drastic dearth of elbow room. Glad we went once but don't expect us back, Malta. <br />
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(Don't tell Malta, but we did wonder if our experiences could be chalked up to our expressed interest in finding out more about—shhh!—the Order.)<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">SUNDAY, 14 APRIL—TUESDAY, 16 APRIL, 2019</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 5 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Nicosia, Cyprus<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Valletta, Malta<br />
• <b>Air Miles: </b>1,082<br />
• <b>Road Miles:</b> 68 (51 on rental car, 17 in taxis)<br />
• <b>Foot Miles: </b>17.48<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 48° to 64°, sunny, partly cloudy, rainy<br />
• <b>Flat roundabouts: </b>Too many<br />
• <b>Balconies: </b>8,362<br />
• <b>Boats:</b> 3,709<br />
• <b>Tour buses:</b> Everywhere<br />
• <b>Exterior paint colors:</b> One - yellow, with variations<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Loved:</b> (Hold on. We'll come up with something!)<br />
<b><br />
Lacking: </b>A limit on the number of cars. Enthusiasm for using buses among locals and tourists. A public rapid transit system.<br />
<br />
<b>Learned: </b> Too many people on a tiny island is a really bad idea.</div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK_N_IfD4z_9MIWJsgTEDuIahyphenhyphenIKZZyEO4-zitwQczEWPD1yt3UcmzEVxfTS6FYaDFYjdnTYuYBVwy9sxFLgL_5aLcnQoaPDIjrqLLPdQxzUwDcnqB275uAGJ4rLehOqorD6ayENcVJM/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="1600" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK_N_IfD4z_9MIWJsgTEDuIahyphenhyphenIKZZyEO4-zitwQczEWPD1yt3UcmzEVxfTS6FYaDFYjdnTYuYBVwy9sxFLgL_5aLcnQoaPDIjrqLLPdQxzUwDcnqB275uAGJ4rLehOqorD6ayENcVJM/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit;"><b>The Maltese Balcony</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T_x0V1U5QKIU5FrYEi2xoCBC0bWE5DKaIJ8L_QEMEph6ZoCc7oSagu61Bittcqs0L_xTkrmRyQq0ZjT63pmv9LX0vzFkEEveKlvFNG7-QCVZJe6S-OGitgcTEVXbpgLnUfihc4GngFU/s1600/DA4D1C3C-CEF8-45E4-8137-F653516073BA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8T_x0V1U5QKIU5FrYEi2xoCBC0bWE5DKaIJ8L_QEMEph6ZoCc7oSagu61Bittcqs0L_xTkrmRyQq0ZjT63pmv9LX0vzFkEEveKlvFNG7-QCVZJe6S-OGitgcTEVXbpgLnUfihc4GngFU/s200/DA4D1C3C-CEF8-45E4-8137-F653516073BA.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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A salient feature of urban architecture in Malta (and let's face it, the country is almost all urban) is what has become known as the Maltese balcony. Colorful, often wooden and pervasive, the balconies decorate virtually every residential building, especially in Valletta. Apparently, the structures began to appear in Valletta in the mid-18th century, quickly gained favor and became the norm. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44vRfZdsQb73Woe3fFiexiMSMWC_1E3QHwbwROWUjor-cPraCtGJcr03ysbyJYZ6pK56_rdNkS721yH-R-j23gll4uiAMUWgAl3YKxcrsINrmnl0q9TKa-pd6s6aUzFDHb1vjPeB8_7A/s1600/67D8FCF4-E50B-421B-B59D-80EB98E610CF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1109" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44vRfZdsQb73Woe3fFiexiMSMWC_1E3QHwbwROWUjor-cPraCtGJcr03ysbyJYZ6pK56_rdNkS721yH-R-j23gll4uiAMUWgAl3YKxcrsINrmnl0q9TKa-pd6s6aUzFDHb1vjPeB8_7A/s320/67D8FCF4-E50B-421B-B59D-80EB98E610CF.jpeg" width="221" /></a><b><span style="color: #783f04;">The Math Done for You </span></b></div>
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Our hobby of letterboxing has inspired a passionate interest in visiting cemeteries, not only for what is often exceptional sculpture and architecture, but also to see the variations of customs in how the dearly departed are memorialized. At the small cemetery we checked out in Malta, we noticed that, as we had observed in Cyprus, the math is often done for you. Rather than showing birth and death dates, as is customary in some places, headstones indicate the day of departure and the person's age. Also in both places, we admired the tendency of using one grave plot for a family with all burials together and photos of the deceased often displayed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQwQ6N7MF0xC61MCy4NbLXnuu0o65bgJnNdRJcnG6m-hf2R6hmJpW7a9NbvkTdouVeGqpx900Ko7RZ6AWfSXb3ZJ2Ye8jhXorscKHrb9CoM7G0vaFprSrCLkCDlseUBzC_9A7hjK-jn8/s1600/D591E8FB-3544-4DDB-84B4-76880C97732F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQwQ6N7MF0xC61MCy4NbLXnuu0o65bgJnNdRJcnG6m-hf2R6hmJpW7a9NbvkTdouVeGqpx900Ko7RZ6AWfSXb3ZJ2Ye8jhXorscKHrb9CoM7G0vaFprSrCLkCDlseUBzC_9A7hjK-jn8/s640/D591E8FB-3544-4DDB-84B4-76880C97732F.jpeg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jxVDlfqUDOK5T636Ilv3JO9Bn-oupcPBK7YWzsEg2SetDLUhgXofqztjqRP_hWNJgTHxtsYKuwIN52yZTXvIRN9IlvdzTldwORpYqf0S03zTBuqzsYoeNq6qgS0R-_r8l6oAxNrefts/s1600/372D3BD6-8EB8-4CF6-877F-51B5CBAC4557.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jxVDlfqUDOK5T636Ilv3JO9Bn-oupcPBK7YWzsEg2SetDLUhgXofqztjqRP_hWNJgTHxtsYKuwIN52yZTXvIRN9IlvdzTldwORpYqf0S03zTBuqzsYoeNq6qgS0R-_r8l6oAxNrefts/s640/372D3BD6-8EB8-4CF6-877F-51B5CBAC4557.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous decorations adorn crypts in Our Lady of Victory. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuO7VngZeTv5azF5cO639UZv9ogNrLbXHX-P3mbJ46APTb79ChEMGj6mVtNJNIhWSURW6iI_A9Q2AMuNecef8wtey8mAF7Zg0_sae4-9hUdYo77z7orM8gjrrDTRKf5H9M2xK1zfUBbiw/s1600/63B607F7-6A24-4D24-A30F-90B1275E3130.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuO7VngZeTv5azF5cO639UZv9ogNrLbXHX-P3mbJ46APTb79ChEMGj6mVtNJNIhWSURW6iI_A9Q2AMuNecef8wtey8mAF7Zg0_sae4-9hUdYo77z7orM8gjrrDTRKf5H9M2xK1zfUBbiw/s640/63B607F7-6A24-4D24-A30F-90B1275E3130.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Organ at Our Lady of Victory</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbic56Sws7YkUrZT_xCSe8ad1altwQ4S8OLEqzaxvHLcB9tQ0ECUWDC27PatbPJA5SwcbqoMVYgVp5UrbQyZa7P4gLxhp780F2uvdEweGhqHNb2boaxj55BK-YnohreXeDRRdvTt8kmI/s1600/72DE8F6C-39AF-4D38-8A22-D765F667AFA0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbic56Sws7YkUrZT_xCSe8ad1altwQ4S8OLEqzaxvHLcB9tQ0ECUWDC27PatbPJA5SwcbqoMVYgVp5UrbQyZa7P4gLxhp780F2uvdEweGhqHNb2boaxj55BK-YnohreXeDRRdvTt8kmI/s640/72DE8F6C-39AF-4D38-8A22-D765F667AFA0.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austere exterior of the Co-Cathedral. Dials tell time, month and date.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSCXNLCksALT7Qg5Xx6D_IaH52RuSohe3QxROGlmiP5_m2mCYp1dvBjgkRl5nGWBrRZuBD7HV9IGOzf-0riLC7pYwXsU3DtpaByxqTn5yuUm2JLD5I6PLuTdy3zbWCvmTfXoro1MXNu8/s1600/3DDFE721-04D0-4BE0-AB06-664F0931A0E8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSCXNLCksALT7Qg5Xx6D_IaH52RuSohe3QxROGlmiP5_m2mCYp1dvBjgkRl5nGWBrRZuBD7HV9IGOzf-0riLC7pYwXsU3DtpaByxqTn5yuUm2JLD5I6PLuTdy3zbWCvmTfXoro1MXNu8/s640/3DDFE721-04D0-4BE0-AB06-664F0931A0E8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Co-Cathedral's high altar. If it ain't Baroque... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMe9xr2O-eEgR0D3mSjdNChNc_Kol2HLWSRH9NDxu9w8YDnpmglzzkqSxZVcziTkzqes0GVSinBzxTFG77cvKsbVSN9vKCfetUitI-V6Wm5QMiJUdTHfPkwmrOELQd6PEIpMHfLgqhZWw/s1600/963129FD-04C2-4EB9-A9E9-20E8D0AD7BB8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMe9xr2O-eEgR0D3mSjdNChNc_Kol2HLWSRH9NDxu9w8YDnpmglzzkqSxZVcziTkzqes0GVSinBzxTFG77cvKsbVSN9vKCfetUitI-V6Wm5QMiJUdTHfPkwmrOELQd6PEIpMHfLgqhZWw/s640/963129FD-04C2-4EB9-A9E9-20E8D0AD7BB8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maltese balconies are usually individually decorated, but occasionally uniform. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_XkfoK5NiNryPPQ6UhqttPNOriSTLFFdUtNk49-APFACO917xwjEPuMT0hB30kAFBgSmN_KHKv8LmEHr1oAhGclJL0wi11LXKIC487NGAVc4ui39UBRHCNI24YfZPwpfkyAQNuOQMIk/s1600/6006FD87-F8BD-46EA-8912-B58D3BAEB3AC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1600" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_XkfoK5NiNryPPQ6UhqttPNOriSTLFFdUtNk49-APFACO917xwjEPuMT0hB30kAFBgSmN_KHKv8LmEHr1oAhGclJL0wi11LXKIC487NGAVc4ui39UBRHCNI24YfZPwpfkyAQNuOQMIk/s640/6006FD87-F8BD-46EA-8912-B58D3BAEB3AC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How long do you have to drive on the left before this sight isn't jarring? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFumjvgsaPr6hk8TXNjzCdRrNGXVkFqNqDANIDBXBmMRLZPnDocFfNOJmF7YARB13LgW_CCOaRx6EMD7LsJz2oAulTfAbEIQXaOU_U4ZKjsbj6VBCja67jYYDZLrQnlZzX50qavk2TLoU/s1600/A8313FF2-EACC-4078-A19C-F12927D1F34E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFumjvgsaPr6hk8TXNjzCdRrNGXVkFqNqDANIDBXBmMRLZPnDocFfNOJmF7YARB13LgW_CCOaRx6EMD7LsJz2oAulTfAbEIQXaOU_U4ZKjsbj6VBCja67jYYDZLrQnlZzX50qavk2TLoU/s640/A8313FF2-EACC-4078-A19C-F12927D1F34E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our final day, we managed to locate an undeveloped spot at the Dingli Cliffs. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT47xBuCs_LRlaD6s1Pit7xARVZsavePKjgGyOzfyCT7W4fgY9bhvz5Xmp95BTps9QnvryUjvqIKYnaqNK7Hz9LKZ2tJ1ctWSGGJpyc5pF8l1r6ptGglJlRY7NmgYHHwvMdcQzUvCLblQ/s1600/CC89B47C-0C4B-42DB-A18D-E98390CA7B4D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT47xBuCs_LRlaD6s1Pit7xARVZsavePKjgGyOzfyCT7W4fgY9bhvz5Xmp95BTps9QnvryUjvqIKYnaqNK7Hz9LKZ2tJ1ctWSGGJpyc5pF8l1r6ptGglJlRY7NmgYHHwvMdcQzUvCLblQ/s640/CC89B47C-0C4B-42DB-A18D-E98390CA7B4D.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We enjoyed some authentic Maltese pastizzi at Is-Serkin, a busy Mdina cafe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iG8HskVxqTeqCGbLb5sz8NHgUjTcGJbOwnEVheJMCG_vBoO9HtPJEiZ5cpqGaHJjjqW7FlnaHED38gUAsCZpPcq-m7fht_eTrNarFdUVPSNsEKAP47ScXySJBwdaBzoGGSi_VHRcKmU/s1600/D4CE85D3-19D6-4411-B094-969FFF886E98.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6iG8HskVxqTeqCGbLb5sz8NHgUjTcGJbOwnEVheJMCG_vBoO9HtPJEiZ5cpqGaHJjjqW7FlnaHED38gUAsCZpPcq-m7fht_eTrNarFdUVPSNsEKAP47ScXySJBwdaBzoGGSi_VHRcKmU/s640/D4CE85D3-19D6-4411-B094-969FFF886E98.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thinking of flying with Vueling, Spain's discount airline? Don't!</td></tr>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comValletta, Malta35.8989085 14.51455280000004735.886046 14.494382800000047 35.911770999999995 14.534722800000047tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-90443664589096186822019-04-13T20:11:00.000-04:002019-04-18T02:12:21.210-04:00Small Island, Big History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 4: IN WHICH WE DISCOVER THE TIES THAT BIND (AND THOSE THAT UNRAVEL)<br />
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<strong>Stepping into the Past, Days 13-15: Greece to Cyprus.</strong>
Though there are seven smaller countries in Europe, Cyprus is just 1.5 times the size of the state of Delaware. At its widest point, the island extends a mere 141 miles from east to west; north to south, just 60 miles. And yet it is a land divided.
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Like most countries in the eastern Mediterranean area, Cyprus has a long history. Archaeological remains establish the existence of villages on the island as far back as ten thousand years ago. With a location strategic to three continents, Cyprus has been occupied at various times by Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Venetians, Ottomans and British. During the British colonial period (1878-1960), the island’s population became fragmented. Cypriots who identified as ethnically Turkish wanted to unite with Turkey; citizens with Greek heritage and the predominant Greek Orthodox Church wanted the island to be annexed by Greece.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current Map of Cyprus</td></tr>
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In response to uprisings by nationalists, the British withdrew and granted Cyprus its independence in 1960, with a constitution that guaranteed power sharing between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots. But within three years, violent conflict had broken out between the two groups with the support of their respective fatherlands. After Greek nationalists staged a coup in 1974 for the purpose of uniting the island with Greece, Turkey responded by invading Cyprus from the north, leading to the capture of the northern third of the island. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of two border crossings into Northern Cyprus within Nicosia</td></tr>
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Since 1974, the Republic of Cyprus (predominantly Greek) has ruled the southern two-thirds of the island and has been recognized internationally as the official Cypriot government. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus controls the upper third of the island though only Turkey recognizes the republic as a legitimate government. Between the two is a no-man's land, a neutral zone supervised by United Nation peacekeeping troops.<br />
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Negotiations aimed at reunifying the island have been attempted various times and today are again stalled. However, crossing the border between the two has become easier. We walked from the south to the north for a brief visit, and merely presented our passports for examination by officials on each side of the checkpoint.<br />
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But we spent a great deal more time in the south, flying from Athens into Larnaca, the primary international point of arrival. Since the old Nicosia airport fell into the buffer zone after the 1974 conflict, the six-year old facility had to be abandoned. (Amazing photo essay on the deserted airport <b><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/gallery/nicosia-international-airport-photos/index.html" target="_blank">here</a></b>.)<br />
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In our brief visit, we found people on both sides of the Green Line to be kind and hospitable. The island offers up castles, ancient churches and monasteries, the greenest of mountains and the bluest of seas. It got the attention of Marc Anthony, who was so impressed he gave the island to Cleopatra. And England's Richard the Lionheart made Cyprus the site of his destination wedding to his beloved Berengaria of Navarre.<br />
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Our first stop was the city of Paphos<i> (population 90,000). </i>Located on the southwest coast of the island and steeped in mythology, the city<i> </i>has been inhabited since Neolithic times. As the goddess's legendary birthplace, Paphos was the ancient center of the cult of Aphrodite. Like many other visitors, we stopped at the rock where she is said to have risen from the waves.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The large sea stack is known familiarly as Aphrodite's Rock.</td></tr>
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It was at the Aphrodite site that we learned what we called the "red tag rule." On Cyprus, most rental cars are equipped with red license plates. Every car in the parking lot at this popular tourist spot had cherry colored tags, so we quickly surmised that we'd find the most popular destinations by following the red tags.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our perky blue Toyota CH-R was so easy to locate in car parks. </td></tr>
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Close to the town harbor is the Kato Paphos Archaeological Park, home to some of the most impressive Roman mosaics in the eastern Mediterranean. The park contains the major part of the important Greek and Roman city of the same name. The site is still under excavation as archaeologists work to unearth structures and monuments from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages. Wildflowers were in full bloom all over the island adding a burst of color to the otherwise drab stone ruins.<br />
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Outside the walls of old Paphos lies the ancient necropolis known as Tombs of the Kings. The caves and sandstone burial chambers served as final resting places for local nobility, rather than royalty, and date back to the 4th century BC.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KSsvz8bJfWww_CoFWKPezowbUOTrZ71ZgefAdS8nZ5sewXEb3ohV4x4h0AEW0ovs34m7AcRfuxxYi0M1zpTjXM1Kybr2CGocp9jU_bfUFpAJNAlVIsfVxxlDSf6EAkKEpDjLmlYIwYI/s1600/0A223CEC-4826-4318-A206-F3F19B8BA28E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KSsvz8bJfWww_CoFWKPezowbUOTrZ71ZgefAdS8nZ5sewXEb3ohV4x4h0AEW0ovs34m7AcRfuxxYi0M1zpTjXM1Kybr2CGocp9jU_bfUFpAJNAlVIsfVxxlDSf6EAkKEpDjLmlYIwYI/s640/0A223CEC-4826-4318-A206-F3F19B8BA28E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tombs of the Kings</td></tr>
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From Paphos, we drove north into the Troodos Mountains to check out a 12th century Byzantine Orthodox church called Panagia tou Araka, located near the village of Lagoudera. Its interior is covered with murals which have retained their stunning vibrancy for more than 800 years.<br />
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A drive through the Troodos treated us to magnificent vistas of olive groves and vineyards, often located on mountainside terraces.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRrkKEawKV44L14aaPxKb-XzDUPSFGn_JAZYl8G0M6lA5rKC5pOem422L16ZJ01NwEr0MhU9GEjFMo0BOCihUNS_cLNwOkfRlXCxh1skxmyHo8Lf77MDWwXugYV0etzs8GspAUR9SFWM/s1600/22CFB829-AD98-483E-919B-72BF7248ADBA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRrkKEawKV44L14aaPxKb-XzDUPSFGn_JAZYl8G0M6lA5rKC5pOem422L16ZJ01NwEr0MhU9GEjFMo0BOCihUNS_cLNwOkfRlXCxh1skxmyHo8Lf77MDWwXugYV0etzs8GspAUR9SFWM/s640/22CFB829-AD98-483E-919B-72BF7248ADBA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_mEaSMIFWPCYgHwBPDWRD_aQH7Vm1VMCgS7Bu9nyZms8AFr6gr8aYFfashcZnc_K-LexlerrvqMqRUEy_uvoQevuJNNUZE_wpp385csx3DqKzVVTbhgJ6UZIlZ3i7s2fhwt9V9udBio/s1600/48CB88AA-BB61-40DB-A7AD-9A7F54409EA0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_mEaSMIFWPCYgHwBPDWRD_aQH7Vm1VMCgS7Bu9nyZms8AFr6gr8aYFfashcZnc_K-LexlerrvqMqRUEy_uvoQevuJNNUZE_wpp385csx3DqKzVVTbhgJ6UZIlZ3i7s2fhwt9V9udBio/s640/48CB88AA-BB61-40DB-A7AD-9A7F54409EA0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
"Giant Olive Tree" signage pointed us down a country lane to what the owners purport to be the largest olive tree on the island. According to a plaque at the site, the tree is estimated to be 1,700 years old with a 43-foot girth and a height of 20 feet. Though unable to attest to the accuracy of their claims, we were impressed with the ancient specimen nonetheless.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FWdPBXiXcXeE9Wc-wHgfnxVxG3PjCvwUxBWU1qqqfz-hzcrd81Or0IbOH4K5B-y7gqTzJuJ14Yok-p69RyqwZBKG9pjH5xgIaBjD3B-mnVhLAZbX359eXBc5PX3qNtpEclYsZCu1NCA/s1600/616235B5-3F4B-4411-B80C-4CCE621211F0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FWdPBXiXcXeE9Wc-wHgfnxVxG3PjCvwUxBWU1qqqfz-hzcrd81Or0IbOH4K5B-y7gqTzJuJ14Yok-p69RyqwZBKG9pjH5xgIaBjD3B-mnVhLAZbX359eXBc5PX3qNtpEclYsZCu1NCA/s640/616235B5-3F4B-4411-B80C-4CCE621211F0.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After almost two millennia, the old tree is still producing olives.</td></tr>
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On a hillside just outside the city of Limassol (where our cousins lived and loved for several years), we visited another archaeological site. Kourion was a powerful city state in ancient Cyprus, dating from the Mycenaean settlement in the 13th century BC. Ruins encompass a variety of structures including a palace, theater, wrestling school, temples, baths, and others, attesting to the advanced stage of development of its ancient inhabitants.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtKN_0jQu779Hbf-JmO_dCeJAoWYf2H0DBby8afCH0yW9bWz6wZoyksaXOv1HjSJSkqcRDd_h89sufnXdwQEdKrkQywlPOnBCfVaSemaf6qIynwuBs9V75uWMzsmDYThhNn4SCC6eeKM/s1600/292F736D-9AEF-421B-8662-E6A0162A9550.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtKN_0jQu779Hbf-JmO_dCeJAoWYf2H0DBby8afCH0yW9bWz6wZoyksaXOv1HjSJSkqcRDd_h89sufnXdwQEdKrkQywlPOnBCfVaSemaf6qIynwuBs9V75uWMzsmDYThhNn4SCC6eeKM/s640/292F736D-9AEF-421B-8662-E6A0162A9550.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient Kurion</td></tr>
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While the Mycenaean history at Kourion and the pervasive Greek influence in the south linked us to our travels in Greece, another nearby site had connections to our next stop in Malta (as well as Israel, also on our itinerary).
The Knights of Malta, also known as the Knights Hospitallers, was a religious order founded in Jerusalem around 1050 to serve a hospital built by Italian merchants for sick and injured Crusaders.<br />
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After the Christian conquest of Jerusalem in 1099, the order established other facilities along the route that Crusading knights took from Europe to the Holy Land.
Their hospitals used advanced techniques for the time period, keeping clean facilities, with each patient sleeping in a separate bed and eating from individual (rather than shared) food dishes, all of which led to a superior survival rate.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEa44m7KlozObyY0ZFZLXybAIn1rabUl7kUD_q4B7zFI584pb0P6c6rHqX3-T3jqpqEMSPi6RP2vaJ_fJCcCU66orYV8j8BIWVt8BxWiVKpgg1l0cpI7FHode8LEiaFECbmqybL2M_ECE/s1600/%25D0%2598%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BD%25D0%25BD%25D0%25B8%25D1%2582%25D1%258B+-+%25D1%2580%25D1%258B%25D1%2586%25D0%25B0%25D1%2580%25D0%25B8+%25D0%25B8+%25D0%25BA%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BF%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BB%25D0%25BB%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BD%25D1%258B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="760" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEa44m7KlozObyY0ZFZLXybAIn1rabUl7kUD_q4B7zFI584pb0P6c6rHqX3-T3jqpqEMSPi6RP2vaJ_fJCcCU66orYV8j8BIWVt8BxWiVKpgg1l0cpI7FHode8LEiaFECbmqybL2M_ECE/s640/%25D0%2598%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BD%25D0%25BD%25D0%25B8%25D1%2582%25D1%258B+-+%25D1%2580%25D1%258B%25D1%2586%25D0%25B0%25D1%2580%25D0%25B8+%25D0%25B8+%25D0%25BA%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BF%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BB%25D0%25BB%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BD%25D1%258B.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knights Hospitallers with their symbol, later called the Maltese Cross <span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">(source: <span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.5s; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://monpartya-mos.ru/orden-svyatogo-ioanna-i-rossiya-o-nekotory-h-aspektah-rossijskogo-perioda-istorii-ordena-svyatogo-ioanna-ierusalimskogo-vol-fgang-akunov/" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.5s; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Monpartya-Mos.ru</a>)</span></span></td></tr>
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The order was formally recognized by the pope in the early 1100s, encouraging its leadership to work at building the order's power and wealth, acquiring land and combining a medical mission with defending the Crusader kingdom. Soon the Hospitallers, along with the Templars, became the most formidable military order in the Holy Land.<br />
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Following the conquest of Jerusalem by Islamic forces, the Crusaders, including the Hospitallers, were driven from the region. The Hospitallers moved to Limassol in Cyprus and built a castle west of the city on land given to them in 1210. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA9plC5Jiz1SxiXqb6BepA6-vB7nAA6GAnDfh-BTzRXbMrNud1vMPMy8C_9r6LJY3uODDqNqu5p4UqkEbkjBKEiS9Cy8Ef2cmH22SY0C7bGAhcVEU7V3WnYeNEkFlCDF1KyBWujO3v6A/s1600/5738CD80-D6C8-4E12-9832-57DA5EB8CAB4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA9plC5Jiz1SxiXqb6BepA6-vB7nAA6GAnDfh-BTzRXbMrNud1vMPMy8C_9r6LJY3uODDqNqu5p4UqkEbkjBKEiS9Cy8Ef2cmH22SY0C7bGAhcVEU7V3WnYeNEkFlCDF1KyBWujO3v6A/s640/5738CD80-D6C8-4E12-9832-57DA5EB8CAB4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kolossi Castle</td></tr>
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A series of attacks and a sequence of earthquakes left the original castle in ruins, and in 1454, the current fortress was built to replace it. After becoming too embroiled in Cypriot politics, the order moved their operations to the island of Rhodes until ousted by the Ottomans, sailing away with no base until the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V gave them Malta in 1530. When we leave Cyprus, we will also go to Malta, searching for more history of this powerful group. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">THURSDAY, 11 APRIL—SATURDAY, 13 APRIL, 2019</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 4 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Athens, Greece<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Nicosia, Cyprus<br />
• <b>Air Miles: </b>570<br />
• <b>Road Miles:</b> 368<br />
• <b>Foot Miles:</b> 15.89<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 53° to 72°, sunny, partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Gas: </b>$5.23/gallon (thankful for 55 mpg hybrid vehicle)<br />
• <b>Olive trees:</b> 47,092<br />
• <b>Grape vines: </b>26,991<br />
• <b>Red license plates:</b> 2,683<br />
• <b>Rooftop water tanks:</b> 12,860<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Loved:</b> The size of Cyprus and its excellent network of roads means you're never more than 15-20 minutes from mountains or the beach.<br />
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Lacking: </b>Recent practice driving on the left. It takes full concentration from both of us to avoid lane drift.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> That despite its limited dimensions, Cyprus has often been at the crossroads of history due to its strategic location between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK_N_IfD4z_9MIWJsgTEDuIahyphenhyphenIKZZyEO4-zitwQczEWPD1yt3UcmzEVxfTS6FYaDFYjdnTYuYBVwy9sxFLgL_5aLcnQoaPDIjrqLLPdQxzUwDcnqB275uAGJ4rLehOqorD6ayENcVJM/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="1600" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLK_N_IfD4z_9MIWJsgTEDuIahyphenhyphenIKZZyEO4-zitwQczEWPD1yt3UcmzEVxfTS6FYaDFYjdnTYuYBVwy9sxFLgL_5aLcnQoaPDIjrqLLPdQxzUwDcnqB275uAGJ4rLehOqorD6ayENcVJM/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></strong></div>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04;">Guiding Light</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWZtoh8PrjOAmJwLkKQR4dSBvh-FmiTgVTW-c86XZjSvKEGF-AQqx3KjFBLNFwyQdScl7jhWBZtdiM1vgzCSu8FtwP6WST0Nwe5E_KWh-xXGGmIpvDMFH7Okim5T_Rz34THHGnzXIxss/s1600/A700889B-A3CB-4CCF-A8EC-32384814395A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1600" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWZtoh8PrjOAmJwLkKQR4dSBvh-FmiTgVTW-c86XZjSvKEGF-AQqx3KjFBLNFwyQdScl7jhWBZtdiM1vgzCSu8FtwP6WST0Nwe5E_KWh-xXGGmIpvDMFH7Okim5T_Rz34THHGnzXIxss/s320/A700889B-A3CB-4CCF-A8EC-32384814395A.jpeg" width="320" /></a>After picking up our rental car at the Larnaca airport, we tried to set our Garmin GPS for the archaeological site in Paphos on the southwest coast. As we quickly learned by the skeletal information and 1995 style directions, Garmin's European maps apparently do not include Cyprus. Last month we bought a third party set of Middle East maps for the device since Garmin doesn't offer that region. Based on the limited guidance we were receiving, we're guessing the machine was drawing from those non-kosher maps, giving us a preview of what to expect in the Middle East. Thankfully we were able to use a smart phone as a back-up solution, along with the rubber band windshield mount we cobbled together for it. (At the airport upon our departure, we picked up a vent mount for the phone since we're pretty sure we'll be needing it in Jordan and Israel.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUElwJCKfMckTWyYek5LUqBj0x2rjKoTqewPLQ39cRLsCqqYpFEXxb4DrdQFytV0BZEUaVQXHwIiOLw1kOeBczXIHAfNeAI4QuLALnMtcp8XKvFNxItOWxMfzDMiXyi6oPpcyEjS2yEbU/s1600/CyprusCat-sightseeing+scientist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUElwJCKfMckTWyYek5LUqBj0x2rjKoTqewPLQ39cRLsCqqYpFEXxb4DrdQFytV0BZEUaVQXHwIiOLw1kOeBczXIHAfNeAI4QuLALnMtcp8XKvFNxItOWxMfzDMiXyi6oPpcyEjS2yEbU/s320/CyprusCat-sightseeing+scientist.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><b>Cyprus Cats</b></span></div>
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Sadly, the population of stray cats in Cyprus has spun out of control. Animal welfare advocates estimate that the island today has far more cats (1.5 million) than humans (855,000). Though history suggests the cat may have been first domesticated in Cyprus, many on the island have little regard for the animal today. Due to lack of funding for neutering, their numbers have grown to the point that locals see them as vermin. Unlike the well-fed felines we saw in Athens, feral cats in Cyprus tended to be thin and scraggly.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs6o9mLbUmnonKLcClTGADjCqEx5o5bw3QTNIGkoXvbNflfXvaC4szK4WGRsCH1wnr14nImZYo1lKz5qYB-GDTiMNKU0UvIcmuwCfaUdLGlgEkOa2uhMioCQxHQ8yVxChGUfxcXlxMlU/s1600/C8BAFFAC-128E-4F37-9743-46F346C70E73.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs6o9mLbUmnonKLcClTGADjCqEx5o5bw3QTNIGkoXvbNflfXvaC4szK4WGRsCH1wnr14nImZYo1lKz5qYB-GDTiMNKU0UvIcmuwCfaUdLGlgEkOa2uhMioCQxHQ8yVxChGUfxcXlxMlU/s640/C8BAFFAC-128E-4F37-9743-46F346C70E73.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paphos Lighthouse, built in the 1880s</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnI9kcqZVQ7H-pzJEYOTTVkDjXqvl9BfcUUiUB2qSjNjG35rZ-Weo8HnK8U6fpwbdeOMeoVNyYEGLXlKytAfVFZcSY_gzrrfGqf7lc3XKzv2_QhliI4a2ctdWJaL49vKRPYC-LvMnVyvQ/s1600/2914C9BA-8576-47FE-8CAE-48DA18EAAA18.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnI9kcqZVQ7H-pzJEYOTTVkDjXqvl9BfcUUiUB2qSjNjG35rZ-Weo8HnK8U6fpwbdeOMeoVNyYEGLXlKytAfVFZcSY_gzrrfGqf7lc3XKzv2_QhliI4a2ctdWJaL49vKRPYC-LvMnVyvQ/s640/2914C9BA-8576-47FE-8CAE-48DA18EAAA18.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shelter built around the Araka church in the 14th century to preserve interior and exterior frescoes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTLNctdBw2gbw5WU30lkyrj79d9lCl_g66pxs1b4T9_9hMRXmYy8NKzPPaTzeOs5NP2QBO6zOcqa0WTX9HpPy-L0Mlqe229Y5oATp5VP1vrKHN-c1H2LL5E92NLNc0UHB0QRrAJjDb7o/s1600/A218B392-8774-4991-9A86-D5FF3FC673EE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTLNctdBw2gbw5WU30lkyrj79d9lCl_g66pxs1b4T9_9hMRXmYy8NKzPPaTzeOs5NP2QBO6zOcqa0WTX9HpPy-L0Mlqe229Y5oATp5VP1vrKHN-c1H2LL5E92NLNc0UHB0QRrAJjDb7o/s640/A218B392-8774-4991-9A86-D5FF3FC673EE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turkish and Northern Cyprus flags fly at an official building near the border crossing. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh835UxH1Tq3lSFYpoJywhPizpG50JxORjzAOiL9ZBarzNI7xe_umHcHdOiX75x73ILdnZ6vzm4kJ40c0nG3gYDvagVcqERtt4VDR6oqA642GhLyiIWdsut6m-BbChGCSezj2fDynhHrc4/s1600/9F942452-05C6-42FA-8414-190484B97399.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh835UxH1Tq3lSFYpoJywhPizpG50JxORjzAOiL9ZBarzNI7xe_umHcHdOiX75x73ILdnZ6vzm4kJ40c0nG3gYDvagVcqERtt4VDR6oqA642GhLyiIWdsut6m-BbChGCSezj2fDynhHrc4/s640/9F942452-05C6-42FA-8414-190484B97399.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A UN facility in the buffer zone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEwk8YDik6kIG8nnG2nhdC7s6gtEgJMxJlH46CUSpnDe2HH3lPUnuu1m0XJryS3vEBW1E6uenwH-LjqnjxFu47k33Dh41iVoEqUvwwnrN0Vb5tIe315vDjblT2TuT3LLNdntMTqZHt_o/s1600/D9A325A4-32D2-448B-AF73-D3A3678C701D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEwk8YDik6kIG8nnG2nhdC7s6gtEgJMxJlH46CUSpnDe2HH3lPUnuu1m0XJryS3vEBW1E6uenwH-LjqnjxFu47k33Dh41iVoEqUvwwnrN0Vb5tIe315vDjblT2TuT3LLNdntMTqZHt_o/s640/D9A325A4-32D2-448B-AF73-D3A3678C701D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fine old houses sit abandoned in the Nicosia buffer zone. Trees have grown through the roof here. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ts-3j52O5aree9FZoIAl2Yd2kz5UcMOlBmBva056WGlpxzXmUCdJT-6pU5oQoRZwHpzuwbO9Fqx1RZjpJh2cKMjWiCEbRB4oRxnlyfBp9LuqTfFrQOAEpToi5d2c_zPOBlwhOVKUuK8/s1600/Kourion_beach_limassol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="858" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ts-3j52O5aree9FZoIAl2Yd2kz5UcMOlBmBva056WGlpxzXmUCdJT-6pU5oQoRZwHpzuwbO9Fqx1RZjpJh2cKMjWiCEbRB4oRxnlyfBp9LuqTfFrQOAEpToi5d2c_zPOBlwhOVKUuK8/s640/Kourion_beach_limassol.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kourion beach (photo from cyprusisland.net)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXagzvuBr-Uz0LPceekPQwJB1_mR6_I-5el0hayLkhniJ17LinHAGXxWmvXb2Ix-QXYkpWtNYFPvLNiocgL-Hwfd4Ro_-2nJy1rs7wiEdEKufmozeIvtJUVFXzyx0awQCmlce1OTNjcdE/s1600/B5474A63-430F-4A50-A12F-274484911E2A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXagzvuBr-Uz0LPceekPQwJB1_mR6_I-5el0hayLkhniJ17LinHAGXxWmvXb2Ix-QXYkpWtNYFPvLNiocgL-Hwfd4Ro_-2nJy1rs7wiEdEKufmozeIvtJUVFXzyx0awQCmlce1OTNjcdE/s640/B5474A63-430F-4A50-A12F-274484911E2A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remains of Roman house at Kurion destroyed in earthquake in 365 AD.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugZ3jmkDUws4hGWZTltRl5uhf163ivBb09WVZSLs6fw1XHcRsNJyVWM5tqnGk7yUQDyL634dkRC5IIEC43nx3iZeD1O_jxlaUhTrCATMwrhQX8KK9dnkC7DdeXMf91dqBgsSv2xskG1E/s1600/B8B58681-596C-461F-952C-3B3740CD129C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugZ3jmkDUws4hGWZTltRl5uhf163ivBb09WVZSLs6fw1XHcRsNJyVWM5tqnGk7yUQDyL634dkRC5IIEC43nx3iZeD1O_jxlaUhTrCATMwrhQX8KK9dnkC7DdeXMf91dqBgsSv2xskG1E/s640/B8B58681-596C-461F-952C-3B3740CD129C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildflowers at Kurion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oXiD7gGQBwrpuWiFXpMxJ6-HMRyLrhyphenhyphen4exU5t-G_LrTYoh4iKVVcYtgEd9GhoTuOu5raKjYgNq0Phw-eBt5oRnlj5waJuwWvjmM0uSLFXOae81kbnMVUJTf43zLszD-Wa8Gu2YpW3Sk/s1600/E41B009E-BE53-44C5-939A-83311F710689.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oXiD7gGQBwrpuWiFXpMxJ6-HMRyLrhyphenhyphen4exU5t-G_LrTYoh4iKVVcYtgEd9GhoTuOu5raKjYgNq0Phw-eBt5oRnlj5waJuwWvjmM0uSLFXOae81kbnMVUJTf43zLszD-Wa8Gu2YpW3Sk/s640/E41B009E-BE53-44C5-939A-83311F710689.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Roman agora at Kurion </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsNwWjUpMlU_ahTbe4YEVZZsF64HW057WBKFe4Hr6Mr4GypuuzN453x-mtGdfk0Fu736qhOOi07L5iB-MyT5fx8djP65H48Gd_N18_HgMCwSNcXikNhYE2HWxepYZ9yEj_o0pchy0hAY/s1600/C968AF62-EB33-4FFB-92D5-0872ABBB732F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsNwWjUpMlU_ahTbe4YEVZZsF64HW057WBKFe4Hr6Mr4GypuuzN453x-mtGdfk0Fu736qhOOi07L5iB-MyT5fx8djP65H48Gd_N18_HgMCwSNcXikNhYE2HWxepYZ9yEj_o0pchy0hAY/s640/C968AF62-EB33-4FFB-92D5-0872ABBB732F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restored ancient theater at Kurion is still used for events today.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comNicosia, Cyprus35.1855659 33.38227640000002335.0817544 33.220914900000025 35.2893774 33.543637900000022tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-59005696497355036662019-04-10T10:23:00.002-04:002019-04-12T04:15:08.125-04:00Our Big Fat Greek Road Trip 🇬🇷<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDeDLQxQyNXFaapNaRRB0UBN9WTKxyyiuhGbvPwBHktGmIu6tXStpwQ3-hxSB1kQ71mMgrdslq2VZj43iV0MUTsvIPww33Wo_-ecl4wmRXokSGk7qrM6h3Vlv24zv4bSEbyaUBiTXPQ8/s1600/A15265B4-2BBE-4498-A6B6-9AA1065FCF13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDeDLQxQyNXFaapNaRRB0UBN9WTKxyyiuhGbvPwBHktGmIu6tXStpwQ3-hxSB1kQ71mMgrdslq2VZj43iV0MUTsvIPww33Wo_-ecl4wmRXokSGk7qrM6h3Vlv24zv4bSEbyaUBiTXPQ8/s640/A15265B4-2BBE-4498-A6B6-9AA1065FCF13.png" width="640" /></a></div>
CHAPTER 3: IN WHICH WE FOLLOW AN AVUNCULAR ROUTE<br />
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<strong>Stepping into the Past, Days 7-12: Athens, Greece to the south and the north and back to Athens.</strong> When we began planning a visit to Greece, our original idea was, of course, to include a few of the Greek islands. It didn't take much research to uncover that we would be arriving at the beginning of the peak Greek tourist season. While that date marker wouldn't be too significant in a country such as Albania, Greece sees 32 million visitors annually, most of them between April and August. And the islands bear the brunt of that invasion, including daily mass influxes from overflowing cruise ships. <br />
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Setting our sights in a different direction, we turned for guidance to our 'traveling and learning' role model, <a href="http://www.theroadjunkies.com/2011/06/american-legend.html" target="_blank">Uncle Joe</a>. After a military career, this inspiring family legend traveled the world, making stops in almost 90 countries before falling victim to cancer in 2016 at the age of 84. His last journey abroad was a 2015 Greek road trip, and since he always shared his itinerary, our road trip plans got a big fat jump start.<br />
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<h2>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Corinth Canal</span></b></h2>
Leaving Athens, we drove west toward the Peloponnesian peninsula. Near the city of Corinth, we made our way to the Corinth Canal, a channel which connects the Adriatic Sea with the Aegean and cuts a slice out of the peninsula where it joined the Greek mainland (leading some to question whether it's still a peninsula or now an island).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corinth Canal</td></tr>
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Though the idea of a canal here was conceived as early as 602 BC, it was too complicated to accomplish with the existing technology, and a portage road was built instead. Again in 300 BC, an attempt was considered, but engineers convinced the Macedonian king in power that the Adriatic would flood the Aegean if the canal were built. In the Roman period, efforts were stalled for the same reason until Nero in 67 BC ordered 6,000 slaves to build the canal.<br />
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Upon Nero's untimely death, the project was again scrapped. It wasn't until the Greeks regained their independence in the 1830s that the idea resurfaced. High costs led to a few false starts, but the structure was finally completed in 1893.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_BXpVZioqCqlM0bUecDJWX6_FfeNnERsp-Sr1OlKUiIvXNV2Jr4itEVx-gQZrEUlKOPfqX-jRufPMDBEWCumuYhsDDdmJEFphyUJXweUGMkNaLE0pE_15LIaXPX5PxQwLI8CCafAPSg/s1600/318A0D91-8381-4B9F-BCC1-01137324B29C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_BXpVZioqCqlM0bUecDJWX6_FfeNnERsp-Sr1OlKUiIvXNV2Jr4itEVx-gQZrEUlKOPfqX-jRufPMDBEWCumuYhsDDdmJEFphyUJXweUGMkNaLE0pE_15LIaXPX5PxQwLI8CCafAPSg/s640/318A0D91-8381-4B9F-BCC1-01137324B29C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few love locks and hundreds of tissues and plastic wrappers adorned the pedestrian bridge.</td></tr>
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Unfortunately the canal never attracted the expected level of use due to its narrow width (82 ft) and the strong winds channeled by its high walls. Today it is used only for day tours and small cruise ships. Predictably, it is also a favorite spot for bungee jumping.<br />
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In 1944, German forces retreating from Greece after being ousted by the Allies, took out their eviction revenge on the canal. After detonating explosives to cause a landslide of its fragile limestone walls, they destroyed the bridges and dumped train cars and bridge wreckage into the canal to hinder repairs. The US Army Corps of Engineers came to the rescue in 1947 with a ten-month project to clear and reinforce the Corinth Canal. On a personal note, one of the staff members for the project was our Aunt Bea, Uncle Joe's first wife.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Mycenae</span></b><br />
From Corinth, we continued southwest, following UJ's plan, to the archaeological site of Mycenae, a fortified hilltop citadel nestled between two larger hills. The Mycenaean culture dominated mainland Greece, the Aegean islands, and parts of Asia Minor during the late Bronze Age (1600-1100 BC). According to Greek lore, the fortress settlement at Mycenae was founded by the legendary hero Perseus. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcVdO_XYOYQzOmHSXCxo5kRliyEkuI88BBI5DKlxjmNJ-AK8vGG_bxYl5vJeVkSNmv4-0UwIG2mJ0LSrAKf9z4kVw9AR5ffr9Q0Sp74yE440OHX8aAyNKfKjFwMdl2MD237KFI8HSM3k/s1600/2DC093E3-EA51-4D9F-84AC-68CEB7ACABD7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcVdO_XYOYQzOmHSXCxo5kRliyEkuI88BBI5DKlxjmNJ-AK8vGG_bxYl5vJeVkSNmv4-0UwIG2mJ0LSrAKf9z4kVw9AR5ffr9Q0Sp74yE440OHX8aAyNKfKjFwMdl2MD237KFI8HSM3k/s640/2DC093E3-EA51-4D9F-84AC-68CEB7ACABD7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More than 30,000 people lived at Mycenae in the 13th century BC. </td></tr>
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Giant stones used in the construction of the outer walls inspired a mythical explanation that Perseus employed a group of Cyclopes to construct the barrier, for surely mere humans could not have moved the enormous boulders. Thus they are described as Cyclopean walls.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCZDqQ02RZ9GKJSHbwG4zIJlIUa1MCX42TpwaAAwR-PiMHP03U-CQtsb-T-A-9lg87NYvGXxHbx4hXeCcmkuxgjgAlrvRHQuvpLyiGSkKYICce56b-64ZUlsELAOazh7i6d-UkC9uA5c/s1600/EB40F2BA-830D-4AF5-AF2F-2C0BC1AEDA52.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCZDqQ02RZ9GKJSHbwG4zIJlIUa1MCX42TpwaAAwR-PiMHP03U-CQtsb-T-A-9lg87NYvGXxHbx4hXeCcmkuxgjgAlrvRHQuvpLyiGSkKYICce56b-64ZUlsELAOazh7i6d-UkC9uA5c/s640/EB40F2BA-830D-4AF5-AF2F-2C0BC1AEDA52.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canine at the feline gate</td></tr>
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The most distinctive feature of the fortress is the Lion Gate, built in 1250 BC (yes, that's 3,269 years ago!) to guard and provide the main access to the citadel. Archaeologists indicate that the gate was closed by double heavy wooden doors secured by a sliding bar. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0_qbxmw4MlmrE0wi3AYBp44sMnicgAvgvyml-7Rs4UQa2EfLSc8k3yTkimxminsEqaSIi9QBr318VQD0y7N9Pb3g3ch6zn-iyWghHlO2PFSbrqHiCVp8PcGHQ9dTch0pGFk6YfaBFDs/s1600/2A37961C-D85A-40DA-97D2-F0258BA7B316.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0_qbxmw4MlmrE0wi3AYBp44sMnicgAvgvyml-7Rs4UQa2EfLSc8k3yTkimxminsEqaSIi9QBr318VQD0y7N9Pb3g3ch6zn-iyWghHlO2PFSbrqHiCVp8PcGHQ9dTch0pGFk6YfaBFDs/s640/2A37961C-D85A-40DA-97D2-F0258BA7B316.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examples of stirrup jars (1150 BC) in the museum, used for storing wine and oils. </td></tr>
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The Mycenae Archaeological Museum, located on site next to the citadel, exhibits part of the incredible wealth of artifacts unearthed at the site. When excavation began at Mycenae in the 19th century, the items discovered caused a sensation. Early digs yielded a wealth of grave goods, items made of gold and precious jewels buried with a body to smooth the journey of the deceased into the afterlife or to appease the gods.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Nafplio</span></b><br />
Mycenae was our last stop on the way to the seaside village of Nafplio, a stop on Uncle Joe's itinerary. When we awoke there on Saturday and looked out the window, we exclaimed, "Oh, boo! A rainy day." That was quickly followed by, "Oh, yay! A rainy day." It was Day #8 of the trip and we were in need of a little respite. The "time out" gave us an opportunity to finish the Athens blog post and chill a bit. We also learned a valuable lesson in Nafplio about Greek restaurant practices. Twice in two days, I ordered a salad at local restaurants. And twice, the fresh healthy greens were drowned in a puddle of oily, sugary salad dressing and olive oil, rendering them all but inedible. <br />
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This experience served me well. A couple of days later in Galaxidi, I ordered a salad with no dressing. The server could not believe his ears. "No dressing!?" he exclaimed. "No dressing," I replied. He wasn't back in the kitchen three minutes before he returned to the table and asked, "But you want olive oil and honey on the salad?" "No," I replied, "nothing." Shaking his head, he returned to the kitchen and later abashedly delivered a beautiful fresh, uncontaminated, delicious salad to our table. I relished every refreshing bite!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwQlAFf5Wb7_YSiHmj_xzNuXk8wKq-c6xD2eCxUZHwaYe3NTN3h0_9LPt-lwLuf8_CWeJDYprar3WEhWs4d2sUtOxCx5Uh9Ecnx86ORcOVtNttmKeMrXCzM1ZqvwrARgJouFi18L_NPk/s1600/57EE06FF-6950-406B-82B3-B1887B80027E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwQlAFf5Wb7_YSiHmj_xzNuXk8wKq-c6xD2eCxUZHwaYe3NTN3h0_9LPt-lwLuf8_CWeJDYprar3WEhWs4d2sUtOxCx5Uh9Ecnx86ORcOVtNttmKeMrXCzM1ZqvwrARgJouFi18L_NPk/s640/57EE06FF-6950-406B-82B3-B1887B80027E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Nafplio's Palamidi Castle</td></tr>
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Before our departure from Nafplio on Sunday, we took advantage of the improved weather and checked out Palamidi Castle high above the town. Did we climb the 999 steps to the top, as the young innkeeper, a lifelong resident, told us she had done only once and would probably never do again? No, we asked our little Hyundai to take us there, picking up two young Latvian hitchhikers who had run out of steam on their way to the top.<br />
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In the panoply of Greek history, the castle at Nafplio is a newbie, having been built by the Venetians during their second occupation of the area in the early 1700s. The year after the fortress was occupied, it was captured by the Turks, who completed construction of the massive complex with the Venetian architectural plans and held the citadel atop the 708-ft hill until the Greeks reclaimed the promontory in 1822.<br />
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When we departed from Nafplio, we decided against backtracking east to the archaeological site and ancient theater of Epidaurus, a location on Uncle Joe's route that we missed due to Saturday's inclement weather. Instead, we headed west toward Olympia, our destination for the day and the home of the ancient Olympic games. (Maybe named after the city, huh?)<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Tiryns</span></b><br />
Just three miles northwest of Nafplio, we came upon another of Uncle Joe's picks—the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Tiryns, a hill fort first settled more than 7,000 years ago. What remains there today are remnants of city walls built in the Mycenaean era, around the year 1300 BC. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Cyclopean walls at Tiryns</td></tr>
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Tiryns has its own version of Cyclopean walls—up to 33 feet thick and made of stones weighing as much as 13 tons. What makes Tiryns especially interesting are the long passages under the acropolis between the outer and inner walls. The surfaces of these tunnels have been worn smooth by all the sheep that have found shelter there over the centuries. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiryns tunnel</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Drama</span></b><br />
Into each life some rain must fall, and into each road trip, some drama. Ours came on Sunday between Nafplio and Olympia, which should have been a simple 2.5-hour trip. The first sign of trouble appeared after a brief stop in Argos to check out its ancient theater. Archaeological evidence indicates that people have lived at Argos for more than 7,000 years, making it what some consider the world's second oldest continually occupied town behind only Jericho. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteRqY1Ek-eXiixKEEMiLpMPSgihFQAo8d-_4aIATFdbL6vJTmDady5C-iMFhWQshKfiZV3gqrUv02_IQGlWOu42kYhMYGHpkbZ5dZfJIOgTU3OL5H8sedeIHWo6d-vLzNC2qw5AlZ6DI/s1600/A060B886-1D4C-4EA7-BBDB-590675B117F2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteRqY1Ek-eXiixKEEMiLpMPSgihFQAo8d-_4aIATFdbL6vJTmDady5C-iMFhWQshKfiZV3gqrUv02_IQGlWOu42kYhMYGHpkbZ5dZfJIOgTU3OL5H8sedeIHWo6d-vLzNC2qw5AlZ6DI/s640/A060B886-1D4C-4EA7-BBDB-590675B117F2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Built in 320 BC, the Argos theater seated 20,000 and was one of the largest Greek theaters.</td></tr>
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Upon our departure from Argos, we struggled to escape the adjacent rural area because we needed to cross the Inachos River. Lady Garmin, our GPS, took us on a tour of local orange and olive groves leading to one ford after another, all of which were impassable that day, especially in our low slung little hatchback.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjQWpmwXffXC6cfel5jTP8tlkclwQI5fUtSAL6lHeH3Q5oMySMJnJ6d_rvszPqiIgWyvKGsQO5guyPXNpx3aCJ-ceej-nUCY_B8r1tTQMuKNq9FoSvFUUaqQfU5y-dpHqk7r2GeQZFAc/s1600/4C3D05DC-B662-44B0-9841-4771315C5D88.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjQWpmwXffXC6cfel5jTP8tlkclwQI5fUtSAL6lHeH3Q5oMySMJnJ6d_rvszPqiIgWyvKGsQO5guyPXNpx3aCJ-ceej-nUCY_B8r1tTQMuKNq9FoSvFUUaqQfU5y-dpHqk7r2GeQZFAc/s640/4C3D05DC-B662-44B0-9841-4771315C5D88.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ford? Maybe. But not a little Hyundai hatchback</td></tr>
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At last the GPS offered up a road with a bridge (a bridge!). Once across the river we soon found ourselves on Route E65, a pristine limited access highway with roadside WCs and full-service rest areas. The wrinkles had smoothed out and it looked as if we would arrive in Olympia in time to visit the archaeological site that afternoon ahead of the next day's forecast rain (again).<br />
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Ha! You had to know that wouldn’t last after all the false river crossings. Following a short distance of easy, care-free travel, the GPS guided us onto Route 111, a serpentine course that took us up through the Taygetus Mountains. At an intersection near the tiny village of Karkaloy, a prominent sign in the roadway blocked the turn we needed to make and commanded our attention.<br />
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Unable to read the sign in Greek, and with no cell signal to obtain a translation, we took a photo of the sign and showed it to an attendant at a nearby gas station, the only sign of life at the crossroads.<br />
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In this remote area, of course, the older gentleman did not speak English. But clever guy that he was, he intuited that the nuts in the rental car showing him a photo of a detour sign were obviously tourists trying to find their way to the nearest popular town. “Olympia?” he asked. When we answered in the affirmative, he pointed to the alternate route.<br />
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At that point, we were 42 miles from Olympia. Predictably, rain had begun falling just before this incident occurred and continued in earnest as we traversed what quickly became a single-lane track perched on a ledge winding through the mountains. The GPS didn't exactly inspire confidence, and we had no cell signal to use Google Maps (and had epically failed to download offline maps for the area). When we had directions like "Turn left on road," we pondered whether Garmin knew where we were, let alone where we were going. At higher elevations, fog shrouded the narrow lane, and few of the oncoming cars were using headlights, offering us a series of heart-stopping surprises.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cCe2UGS10v_lPesdmcUDVca0MY5fX22u9BGU8C5YREyCn-k62075P48UrRvGiPfnBeQI9gaLeDsPkgN93pHohwqUhA_v44mag6f1gCEUuiuxVvmSUjT7N2-cIJ9Tl7ioqfQQ4g1VyI0/s1600/BAF10F8F-4F88-4D0B-89E4-0CA2314EC19F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cCe2UGS10v_lPesdmcUDVca0MY5fX22u9BGU8C5YREyCn-k62075P48UrRvGiPfnBeQI9gaLeDsPkgN93pHohwqUhA_v44mag6f1gCEUuiuxVvmSUjT7N2-cIJ9Tl7ioqfQQ4g1VyI0/s640/BAF10F8F-4F88-4D0B-89E4-0CA2314EC19F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pea soup might be clearer.</td></tr>
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After an hour and 45 minutes of this melodrama, we finally reconnected with Route 74, no freeway itself, but mostly two-laned. Though we had often wondered whether we could have rejoined it earlier, an identical detour sign at the spot where we made the turn convinced us Garmin actually did guide us well. By the time we arrived in Olympia, the trip had taken us more than six hours, and the ancient site had closed for the day. All was not lost, however, as the hotel Uncle Joe had selected boasted beautiful grounds, a pleasant place for our daily walk.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lovely Hotel Europa Olympai</td></tr>
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Early the next morning, thunderclaps woke us to confirm the forecasters' accuracy, spoiling our plans to wander the ruins of ancient Olympia. But there was still the highly rated museum to visit. Oddly, we weren’t the only ones with that idea on a rainy day. When we arrived, sixteen tour buses (no exaggeration) were already there. “Step on it!” I suggested, and Ken happily complied, putting our little hatchback on the road north.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Rio-Antirrio Bridge</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rio-Antirrio Bridge</td></tr>
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As an engineer, of course, Uncle Joe was fascinated by the Rio-Antirrio Bridge spanning the Gulf of Corinth between the Peloponnese peninsula and mainland Greece. Grateful he had put it on the itinerary, we were also impressed with the world’s longest suspended cable-stayed bridge. Widely considered to be an engineering masterpiece, the structure is no slouch in the eye candy department.<br />
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Its location required specialized technology and design to overcome the challenges of deep water with a soft seabed, frequent seismic activity and the daunting probability of tsunamis. All the uncommon features to address those needs did not come cheap. The bridge cost upwards of a billion dollars to build, explaining the $15 toll still in effect.
Construction took almost ten years with the official opening fittingly held a week before the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Olympic torch bearers were the first to cross the bridge, no doubt in one of its pedestrian lanes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenery from E-65</td></tr>
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On the Greek mainland, we continued up E-65, a pan-European highway that extends from Sweden to southern Greece. The Greek section that follows the Gulf of Corinth coast from the bridge to Galaxidi offers up some stunning scenery. We've driven California's Pacific Coast Highway, Nova Scotia's Cabot Trail, Australia's Great Ocean Road, and Ireland's Dingle peninsula—all of them breathtakingly beautiful scenic drives. In our opinion, the Central Greece Motorway can compete with any of them. The only highway in our experience that leaves the E-65 and all the others behind is Italy's Amalfi Coast.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Galaxidi</span></b><br />
Following Uncle Joe's lead, we made the picturesque coastal village of Galaxidi (pronounced gal-ick-city) our base for visiting the nearby area. (It was here where I finally ordered and delighted in a salad without dressing.) Located at the base of Mount Parnassus, the town, which dates back to at least the year 981, has a natural port situated on a double harbor surrounded by mountains.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galaxidi's small harbor</td></tr>
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Once one of Greece's busiest and wealthiest ports, Galaxidi experienced a decline in the early 20th century as it failed to make the shift from sails to steam. Located near the famous archaeological site of Delphi, it has become a popular spot with tourists in recent decades, as well as a yachting destination.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The primary harbor at Galaxidi</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Delphi</span></b><br />
The real jewel in the crown of central Greece is the extensive archaeological site of Delphi. It became famous as the ancient sanctuary that grew rich as the seat of Pythia, the high priestess and oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the classical world. Delphi occupies an impressive site on the slope of Mount Parnassus. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reconstructed Treasury of Athens at Delphi</td></tr>
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In ancient Greece, Delphi was believed to be the center of the world. According to legend, Zeus attempted to locate the center of the earth, by sending two eagles in flight from the "ends of the world." Flying at equal speed, the eagles were said to have crossed paths here. From the spot where they crossed, Zeus threw a rock from the sky and it landed at the place that became Delphi, to be known as the omphalos ("navel of the world").<br />
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An omphalos stone was carved in marble and mounted at the top of a column in ancient Delphi to commemorate its significance as the center of the world. Today this stone, or an ancient replica (scientists can't agree on which) is housed in the excellent museum at the Delphi Archaeological Site.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The End of the Road</span></b><br />
On Wednesday, we left the cozy village of Galaxidi behind and returned to Athens. Scenery along the way was nothing special once we left the coastal area. Thanks to Uncle Joe, the road trip had been all that we hoped for. Our only regret was not making it to Meteora and Thessaloniki. We'll just put them on our itinerary when we return to visit the islands in the off season. At the end of our big fat Greek road trip, we were left with fond memories and a burning desire to return to this beautiful land steeped in history and mythology.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Joe at Nafplion hotel, April 2015</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What's Next?</span></b><br />
The next leg of our journey will take us to the island of Cyprus, which has an intimate relationship with Greece and deep historical roots as well. It's a member of the European Union but often considered part of western Asia or even the Middle East. We're eager to see for ourselves.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">FRIDAY, 5 APRIL—WEDNESDAY, 10 APRIL, 2019</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 3 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Athens, Greece<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Athens, Greece<br />
• <b>Road Miles:</b> 606<br />
• <b>Gas: </b>14.562 gallons @ $7.12/gallon<br />
• <b>Foot Miles: </b>32.47<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 48° to 67°, rain, sunny, partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Toll Booths:</b> 8<br />
• <b>Tour Buses: 4</b>32 (too many!)<br />
• <b>Roadside shrines:</b> 557<br />
• <b>River Fords: </b>4<br />
• <b>Free Range Dogs:</b> 128<br />
• <b>Independent Living Cats: 7</b>59<br />
• <b>Fast Food outlets:</b> 0! (surprisingly no McDonalds, KFC, Subway, etc.)<br />
• <b>Cattle Caution signs: </b>32<br />
• <b>Cattle near roadway:</b> 3 (within fence)<br />
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<b>Loved:</b> Following in Uncle Joe's footsteps and appreciating the planning he completed and shared.<br />
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Lacking: </b>Clear weather for visiting Epidaurus (from Nafplio) and Olympia.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> What history really means. Not just the most recent few hundred years. In the perspective of Greece, that's more part of the present than the past.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;">Gone but not Forgotten</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Small roadside shrines are a common sight along the highways in Greece. Usually designed in the shape of a miniature church or house, elevated on a column about waist high, the memorials commemorate individuals who died in an accident at that spot. In a shoebox-size interior, a lamp or </span>candle<span style="font-family: inherit;"> burns in memory of the deceased. A sun-faded photo of the individual rests inside along with a few personal mementos, images of saints, plastic flowers, and an extra bottle of oil for the lamp. Called kandilakia, these poignant tributes, some elaborate, some simple, are often faithfully maintained by loved ones. This little shrine was on the coast on the way to Delphi.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>You Know You <strike>Want</strike> Need It</b></span><br />
One of travel's most interesting aspects is observing how different cultures deal with the quotidian matters that affect us all, regardless of where we live. Some we'd love to see imported into the United States, though others might not work so well in our homeland. We have no doubt that one feature we've seen on primary limited access highways on this road trip would quickly gain widespread support most anywhere: immaculately clean roadside relief stations. At times, we've all experienced a desperate need for just such a facility, spaced out every 15-20 miles. Yes, please! Are you listening, US Department of Transportation?</div>
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<b><span style="color: #783f04; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span>Another Smart Highway Idea</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrqElXwkC3XG9uZGf00JWaQ5XIY230zmqzThj8oHXxGqzKgTnxq9FyoQn-Sl0uZwFhTGqQ6QF5RAI-UReumMRr2lQoIxxrC8HtcAv_j2j8qbCORnoNkGypPz5NaTJeOoSxi1YB02o7t4/s1600/DB5C7C49-9EAE-416B-8188-5C2D32695121.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrqElXwkC3XG9uZGf00JWaQ5XIY230zmqzThj8oHXxGqzKgTnxq9FyoQn-Sl0uZwFhTGqQ6QF5RAI-UReumMRr2lQoIxxrC8HtcAv_j2j8qbCORnoNkGypPz5NaTJeOoSxi1YB02o7t4/s320/DB5C7C49-9EAE-416B-8188-5C2D32695121.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There are so many practices that we could adapt from other countries and cultures that would make life in the U.S. easier for everyone. Here's another. We have seen this in other countries, especially in eastern Europe, and it definitely is worth duplicating. Life on the highway would be so much safer if roads were equipped with a wide shoulder, which allows for faster drivers to pass slower ones with a minimum of danger. Eventually we'd all learn to move over when the vehicle behind us wants to overtake.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEfT8kh9uVoZjX1gZZtLOPjBSPBG89QxD0kAmsTmsQZjZk2jmTD1-chGvzYovGxy42HTDRuYBMHfBc7rEKVYoZ4IBPIei6ixqsjElBF3JAB_s6drdbFcw12wf6tlyjswhoWSQYlW083U/s1600/4E9C33CC-CF6F-4229-9A4F-777E0DE5BD3A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEfT8kh9uVoZjX1gZZtLOPjBSPBG89QxD0kAmsTmsQZjZk2jmTD1-chGvzYovGxy42HTDRuYBMHfBc7rEKVYoZ4IBPIei6ixqsjElBF3JAB_s6drdbFcw12wf6tlyjswhoWSQYlW083U/s640/4E9C33CC-CF6F-4229-9A4F-777E0DE5BD3A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Mycenae fortress</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildflowers are in bloom everywhere, including near the ancient theater at Argos. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainy day in Nafplio </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting a bus on a one-track road</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCy8YmYShb7aGu00kOGWs4sXube5g74KZKgs7wBvvhp_K-4Peosq4rS6R1-gSLSUuiOOyPnijfLnzoIuGepvXk9Ajdj5T63Tcsvu9d1Ghhbq3UbPA3XaoBj5t64u336WfbqkUwBrnq2sA/s1600/A89B0F1B-9B57-4539-AE11-2F4174C0B0B7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1600" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCy8YmYShb7aGu00kOGWs4sXube5g74KZKgs7wBvvhp_K-4Peosq4rS6R1-gSLSUuiOOyPnijfLnzoIuGepvXk9Ajdj5T63Tcsvu9d1Ghhbq3UbPA3XaoBj5t64u336WfbqkUwBrnq2sA/s640/A89B0F1B-9B57-4539-AE11-2F4174C0B0B7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goats who also want to share the single lane highway </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZTu4Z0LgZNLp6It862frvdY2gffIf4LjmCBISTPNnzqD-e-eVGFr79EyMAewptLSxYLyD8n8v8BXuEsFLU0_KbhNfezc6vJuhKaNmyyfhGndANbycjiZCK5ksWzmVYDuGZzoGzDE77Y/s1600/4D72935A-9C4B-46F8-9F73-8A3848FD445F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZTu4Z0LgZNLp6It862frvdY2gffIf4LjmCBISTPNnzqD-e-eVGFr79EyMAewptLSxYLyD8n8v8BXuEsFLU0_KbhNfezc6vJuhKaNmyyfhGndANbycjiZCK5ksWzmVYDuGZzoGzDE77Y/s640/4D72935A-9C4B-46F8-9F73-8A3848FD445F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Student group climbing up Mycenae acropolis </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYv6qeAQEMCmIUQNnoHxJrr3bKOvQVU6HEo7LmzOH1lL_y28IEqKqMtvzyDcB6NBDizrXIbgcfcS2t9CCdumSXdH7zsingzPM0LJyZTTepE2DKuaxbyJpO3QobN-ihvdmsoUSvL9qyAM/s1600/5B714ADB-03F3-4F45-854D-10B99C5E1B52.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSYv6qeAQEMCmIUQNnoHxJrr3bKOvQVU6HEo7LmzOH1lL_y28IEqKqMtvzyDcB6NBDizrXIbgcfcS2t9CCdumSXdH7zsingzPM0LJyZTTepE2DKuaxbyJpO3QobN-ihvdmsoUSvL9qyAM/s640/5B714ADB-03F3-4F45-854D-10B99C5E1B52.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A clever Smart car in Galaxidi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5TmUGph50yjP7dfV6_Yc2RgTTehuNE0P2brjj1RNnLizw5tkLudULZ9rj-teLgOR3aRsHLUHlhq8gubeK43DCYE4U9_sYoP6yZZK2i82bHv_q02wktlSJeK8Lvkcf3Sbs1ba9KER_ME/s1600/09FAB940-D189-4A96-B488-C9469B3EF6A1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5TmUGph50yjP7dfV6_Yc2RgTTehuNE0P2brjj1RNnLizw5tkLudULZ9rj-teLgOR3aRsHLUHlhq8gubeK43DCYE4U9_sYoP6yZZK2i82bHv_q02wktlSJeK8Lvkcf3Sbs1ba9KER_ME/s640/09FAB940-D189-4A96-B488-C9469B3EF6A1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delphi column</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawI139AgJclvgOqvnklpk216XBEqniECRfhX0HoAODWgSXOI2xqnyhWvXNTMKbuSmxyAPdghFXwmwuKyT1uN1YA78sxvIxre19qfdVyk8zmrgmfj8MNlrT206cJSZOTnQhVarXdz32NI/s1600/E8559CAA-B33D-41BC-91E9-3B80EE86AC6A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawI139AgJclvgOqvnklpk216XBEqniECRfhX0HoAODWgSXOI2xqnyhWvXNTMKbuSmxyAPdghFXwmwuKyT1uN1YA78sxvIxre19qfdVyk8zmrgmfj8MNlrT206cJSZOTnQhVarXdz32NI/s640/E8559CAA-B33D-41BC-91E9-3B80EE86AC6A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Delphi columns from Temple of Apollo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6z4pqnN7DFaNdrvVoJpGUONmL21RNvY86O9UhoZFc7dhlOXc-3avdlbrlhjr45zL-A_aP1lF2va96a5sSmiNO7Ml7ty7NZDWg9XkfVKWSxo-2BFS7ZlMZaNBbyjpmBLy_lrx8fmTgNeU/s1600/E58562A8-7C27-4155-9258-10191A6140DF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1600" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6z4pqnN7DFaNdrvVoJpGUONmL21RNvY86O9UhoZFc7dhlOXc-3avdlbrlhjr45zL-A_aP1lF2va96a5sSmiNO7Ml7ty7NZDWg9XkfVKWSxo-2BFS7ZlMZaNBbyjpmBLy_lrx8fmTgNeU/s640/E58562A8-7C27-4155-9258-10191A6140DF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Athena at Delphi</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comAthens, Greece37.9838096 23.72753880000004837.8836966 23.566177300000046 38.0839226 23.888900300000049tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-78839223052286660912019-04-04T10:37:00.000-04:002019-04-06T13:53:54.071-04:00Dear Athens...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUr5WfF4o1F_0H3LXjAupglGnuqjZ1JVqdZhx01cS2RhCKyiTclG_bJWwgLfTGrpyN-Oq1KTSbqOo-vztBY5IuU9kTULq9OWHPZfG7Q0iVNz6fopMjJ-xgzJDrlMNoFpQdQ88CrvttJA/s1600/IMG_0550.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUr5WfF4o1F_0H3LXjAupglGnuqjZ1JVqdZhx01cS2RhCKyiTclG_bJWwgLfTGrpyN-Oq1KTSbqOo-vztBY5IuU9kTULq9OWHPZfG7Q0iVNz6fopMjJ-xgzJDrlMNoFpQdQ88CrvttJA/s640/IMG_0550.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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CHAPTER 2: IN WHICH WE BECOME BESOTTED</div>
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<strong>Stepping into the Past, Days 3-6: Athens, Greece.</strong><br />
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Dear Athens,<br />
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As we conclude our four-day visit with you, we just had to take time to express our appreciation for your kind hospitality. Like so many others, we have dreamed of your magical streets since childhood when we first heard your name. Why it took us so long to get here will remain forever a mystery. We can only guess that we subconsciously saved the best (of Europe) for last.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqO3JwDkmA-LNBBl9fcXo0mdxT76vPXZ-Q3FGKSi0u6INX_HcRMZMU5ILVVvLy_tt1D3jKZ2hCUkKHKVZIo6E0jJSAbDA7iQO_AUnw-S4i5afPkMnRh8gQs04SUp7N_KwQ4F7_NVgSaM/s1600/59526410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="1024" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqO3JwDkmA-LNBBl9fcXo0mdxT76vPXZ-Q3FGKSi0u6INX_HcRMZMU5ILVVvLy_tt1D3jKZ2hCUkKHKVZIo6E0jJSAbDA7iQO_AUnw-S4i5afPkMnRh8gQs04SUp7N_KwQ4F7_NVgSaM/s640/59526410.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AVA Hotel</td></tr>
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Before going any further, we must compliment you on our accommodations. You knew exactly what you were doing when you situated the AVA Hotel in the heart of your most appealing attractions. Our room was spacious and impeccably clean, but the friendly and helpful staff deserve the highest praise. Their advice and assistance were invaluable in organizing our days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hadrian's Arch (bottom left) and Temple of Olympian Zeus</td></tr>
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As you well know, we had only to step outside the hotel door and walk a mere 200 feet to visit the iconic Hadrian's Arch and beyond it the Temple of Olympian Zeus. We remember your telling us that the Roman emperor Hadrian had a great affection for you. With all the infrastructure improvements and building construction he spearheaded for you during his reign, it's easy to see how a mutual admiration developed between you and Hadrian. The arch you built to honor him in 131 AD continues to commemorate that special bond.<br />
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And, in fact, it was under Hadrian's guidance and authority that the magnificent Temple of Olympian Zeus was finally completed, also in the year 131. Those 56-feet columns and the expansive layout made it one of the largest temples built in the ancient world. Perhaps it was the ambitious nature of its design, as well as all the political upheavals, that drew out its construction for more than 700 years. We know you're probably sad that only 15 of its 104 original columns are still standing, but we really admire the way you have allowed your ancient structures to show their esteemed age and not tried to make them look all shiny and new. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDFrdZ8-PHkS9tug2fZOZbErLd9fEq1GRs3btpz-Zq56VU0Yz9x5n7yvqPr9e-ia0To3wRF65D_wNCS1y5jdxANerCFY6lTedbaE6_5RXm2EWolrqsN5fkEK1DxlvvhtnqwcTrgvaCVM/s1600/IMG_0549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDFrdZ8-PHkS9tug2fZOZbErLd9fEq1GRs3btpz-Zq56VU0Yz9x5n7yvqPr9e-ia0To3wRF65D_wNCS1y5jdxANerCFY6lTedbaE6_5RXm2EWolrqsN5fkEK1DxlvvhtnqwcTrgvaCVM/s640/IMG_0549.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Acropolis</td></tr>
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Of course, the greatest example of this is your crowning glory, the Acropolis. Our early morning visit to this remarkable site that has been part of our vocabulary and world view since childhood was rewarded with an uncrowded scene that allowed us to see your priceless ruins unobstructed. We were so impressed with the craftsmanship on display by your dedicated restoration experts laboring to undo the damage inflicted by well-intentioned but uninformed "repairs" of previous centuries. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6jos9Tzhyuy0IpzhG6_pakU39diuUhIqkqjp7zViOEoWRQC5meY-NTWvCoaGsYrTvBzauA6xIWjedjBgSn9YeZjWaQlC6acP3uFOwL-bibZy5MmSd6BYQ8qE0U7DFR9ZzKD7aXbkZwA/s1600/C21AA1F2-08C2-4528-AD1D-74AA8E7CAAA5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6jos9Tzhyuy0IpzhG6_pakU39diuUhIqkqjp7zViOEoWRQC5meY-NTWvCoaGsYrTvBzauA6xIWjedjBgSn9YeZjWaQlC6acP3uFOwL-bibZy5MmSd6BYQ8qE0U7DFR9ZzKD7aXbkZwA/s640/C21AA1F2-08C2-4528-AD1D-74AA8E7CAAA5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient Agora</td></tr>
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If the Acropolis is your crown, the ancient agora was your heart in ancient days. Here almost all your commercial, political and social activity occurred. Again we found the ongoing archaeological work intriguing. And what a jewel your Temple of Hephaestus remains, even though it was built in 415 BC. As you pointed out, the fact that it was in continuous use until 1834, albeit for various purposes, no doubt contributed to its survival.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyBM51eOpFHCHR2bAVwTEGne72feTJkYSdWDk8O3LhzVTWphch1570TcuHnbRoqFi11oWh-4GKDNcnYSIrH8eGcnQphj7TIq-cb7HGASxByFmfM19DciAqG2Zg_XOsQvAw0iALltDsYM/s1600/Tower+of+Winds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyBM51eOpFHCHR2bAVwTEGne72feTJkYSdWDk8O3LhzVTWphch1570TcuHnbRoqFi11oWh-4GKDNcnYSIrH8eGcnQphj7TIq-cb7HGASxByFmfM19DciAqG2Zg_XOsQvAw0iALltDsYM/s640/Tower+of+Winds.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower of the Winds</td></tr>
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Another site that we found enchanting was your Roman Agora. You told us that this marketplace was built when you were part of the Roman Empire. We were quite impressed with the octagonal Tower of the Winds, considered by many to be the world's first weather station. <br />
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Gazing at this magnificent structure, it was easy to imagine the way it looked at the end of the 2nd century BC with sundials on each side, a wind vane at the top, and the inventive water clock inside. Nearby we saw the ruins of a 2,000-year-old latrine complete with plumbing. You might be surprised to learn that using water to dispose of human waste came to North America only in the last 200 years!<br />
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Another jewel from the same era is the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, made famous worldwide as the site of Yanni's memorable 'Live from the Acropolis' concert. What a tribute to the memory of that ancient wealthy magnate's wife! The 1950s restoration with pentelic marble preserved its historical integrity while making it a functional theatre once again. Kudos on that decision!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqkswdDu6hNYhkEaMgiI8yZnAHjPCN0ZgIqThuUBffSinpPx5uI483SFwE8r7lNDlreIRRjpCp0mZsV4AJ3vTeZRN55_zmTrO3AzICJq9V7jvugo3FQcGgyRwAZhLanJvlbH31QiZVHo/s1600/F179F027-564D-4371-8F6F-EB04DDAEFAA6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqkswdDu6hNYhkEaMgiI8yZnAHjPCN0ZgIqThuUBffSinpPx5uI483SFwE8r7lNDlreIRRjpCp0mZsV4AJ3vTeZRN55_zmTrO3AzICJq9V7jvugo3FQcGgyRwAZhLanJvlbH31QiZVHo/s640/F179F027-564D-4371-8F6F-EB04DDAEFAA6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panathenaic Stadium</td></tr>
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That same delicate balance was brilliantly implemented in the restoration of your glorious Panathenaic Stadium. And coincidentally, the distinguished aristocrat Herodes Atticus had a hand in this project also. You're the only one around who still remembers the original stadium built in this ravine in 330 BC. And you watched over the construction when Herodes Atticus rebuilt it in marble to seat more than 50,000 spectators in 144 BC. <br />
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What a thrill it must have been for you when, after centuries of abandonment and neglect, the stadium was excavated and refurbished in the late 19th century in time to host the first modern Olympic Games in 1896! As the current venue where the Olympic flame is officially handed over to the host country every four years, it's the perfect location for your excellent museum exhibiting historical Olympic posters and torches.<br />
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We must be tiring you with all this gushing about what a congenial host you were and how splendid are your assets. No doubt you hear it constantly from all your many guests. Before we stop, we need to mention just a few of your other aspects which delighted us.<br />
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The exquisite sculptures and headstones in the First Cemetery of Athens. Like so many others, we were partial to <i>Koimomeni</i> (The Sleeping Girl) by Yannoulis Chalepas.<br />
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The magnificent precision of your Evzone guards in their ceremonial marches at the Tomb of the Unknowns.<br />
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The immaculate cleanliness of your subway trains and stations. Only once did we observe a staff member cleaning, but the facilities all appeared to be constantly spit shined. Definitely worthy of a Tidiest Subway Award.<br />
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The majestic Acropolis Museum with its exhibits of artifacts from the Parthenon and other ancient sites. Having the Acropolis itself in view while examining the sculptures was breathtaking.<br />
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Your charming, colorful, and cozy neighborhoods in the heart of the city that make visitors feel they've been magically transported to a quaint Greek village.<br />
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And perhaps what we loved most, the affection and care you give to your independent living cats. All over your streets and neighborhoods we saw evidence of kitty kindnesses—food and water dishes, cat hotels, and the tiny clip on the ear indicating these Athenians had been relieved of the responsibilities of parenthood. They are truly a beloved group of local citizens.<br />
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From the elderly women who insisted we sit together on the subway, even if they had to stand, to all the individuals we interacted with as we moved about the city, your people could not have been more hospitable to a couple of strangers. When this is added to the bewitching charm of your physical assets, dear Athens, we were utterly and completely captivated. <br />
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With boundless gratitude,<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Road Junkies</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">MONDAY, 1 APRIL—THURSDAY, 4 APRIL, 2019</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 2 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Athens, Greece<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Athens, Greece<br />
• <b>Foot Miles: </b>30.32<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 48° to 66°, sunny, sunny, sunny<br />
• <b>Photos taken: </b>559<br />
• <b>Archaeologists at work:</b> 621<br />
• <b>Street cats: </b>937<br />
• <b>Street dogs: </b>85<br />
• <b>Oldest ruins: </b>3,000 years old<br />
• <b>Shops selling gold olive leaf headbands: </b> 93<br />
• <b>Tourists wearing gold olive leaf headbands: </b> 1,602<br />
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<b>Loved:</b> Walking into the history books we have read and studied for so many years. Actually seeing the places for ourselves that seemed to be more myth than reality.<br />
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Lacking: </b>Only at the Panathenaic Stadium were we given an informative brochure when we bought our entrance tickets. More such items with maps of the venues would have been helpful.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> That sometimes the best restoration is not a restoration at all but a stabilization of esteemed historic structures to allow them to retain their dignity as they have evolved.</div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Athens</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thousands of architectural relics abound in Athens, waiting on the unlikely chance of being reunited.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwrw5PPFrHgnBmm_M3SRlNU4pZiQyFILYhAcNCu3d5jY0c2uV48o4mJM0iclCy6Ecgi4OVqezOlRm597Yyp1Z22DA8kva1jFjWKHkMpTD2CscrCZjn1n08rccCwgqyYqJjoyXB4aN5N8/s1600/B060C2B7-3DC4-49EC-81BE-87BDB230C8DC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwrw5PPFrHgnBmm_M3SRlNU4pZiQyFILYhAcNCu3d5jY0c2uV48o4mJM0iclCy6Ecgi4OVqezOlRm597Yyp1Z22DA8kva1jFjWKHkMpTD2CscrCZjn1n08rccCwgqyYqJjoyXB4aN5N8/s640/B060C2B7-3DC4-49EC-81BE-87BDB230C8DC.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The busy flea market near Monastiraki Square</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4I5XxXjF9v3aLHzynVvJ31qKSBsdHFkF5dvSLlOu9TW_1XW7erFSdjB2-4r6qr7Lq03rtSfzdvEhmY4UQ_osk4otwhtRbLOeHPeXRxWj4jmMaSrHmMPNtoZzqXwsZYdXCgQPc4GxVn0/s1600/FFAE66B1-055F-4640-AB89-F5BDB0C06D6D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4I5XxXjF9v3aLHzynVvJ31qKSBsdHFkF5dvSLlOu9TW_1XW7erFSdjB2-4r6qr7Lq03rtSfzdvEhmY4UQ_osk4otwhtRbLOeHPeXRxWj4jmMaSrHmMPNtoZzqXwsZYdXCgQPc4GxVn0/s640/FFAE66B1-055F-4640-AB89-F5BDB0C06D6D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soroosh, a friendly Iranian, and his little travel icon Nightingale, whom we met exploring the Acropolis</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJyx3mLCAVflDY7mg2J5B6P72LX0Ku3Cma_gzyduI-gp_nmWbya9gsbHwQ3GuIghYo9NiDENSbfrQ40bskv6bogUBlOpUmMV0S38LuL1xJ5Ufkp3QKn6Xk8ifGjdjg7Xcwg05EOdaUF0/s1600/1B521995-14BF-4C10-9B39-1A8666113BC4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJyx3mLCAVflDY7mg2J5B6P72LX0Ku3Cma_gzyduI-gp_nmWbya9gsbHwQ3GuIghYo9NiDENSbfrQ40bskv6bogUBlOpUmMV0S38LuL1xJ5Ufkp3QKn6Xk8ifGjdjg7Xcwg05EOdaUF0/s640/1B521995-14BF-4C10-9B39-1A8666113BC4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A regal Athens resident who reminded us so much of our beloved cat Ms. Daisy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkNFSODZWDL617mAdyjf2q225gQa2EkqNrMDdit4u68k0XDDRer17uOKPF1TJuXB89yZ1H5rMOF2ljflRJkkrq-oJPop6Ud7O4U-PZU7xJ1XcT10mOyfCiwZHFGPVTxGkaPZAi3GtBRg/s1600/FC2DFE48-12C0-4186-90AF-C7BBA01AF03D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkNFSODZWDL617mAdyjf2q225gQa2EkqNrMDdit4u68k0XDDRer17uOKPF1TJuXB89yZ1H5rMOF2ljflRJkkrq-oJPop6Ud7O4U-PZU7xJ1XcT10mOyfCiwZHFGPVTxGkaPZAi3GtBRg/s640/FC2DFE48-12C0-4186-90AF-C7BBA01AF03D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Zappeion, a public building in the National Gardens used for conferences and meetings</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RREG1ch-3JF4GKVXGg9Pz_I6WJ2C97hc_yViNmbmcJwQVGVHGUrH2dZvRsA_hyphenhyphenl8DB3CIneuKdUtKuHREGghKjC2zpCw7WcEZrSEqbgX0nP6DxI_FJnKdwEBodyPfo-M7MmxQz76r5Y/s1600/9E0B5B3B-4044-41D9-AB7B-D795695AC5F1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1RREG1ch-3JF4GKVXGg9Pz_I6WJ2C97hc_yViNmbmcJwQVGVHGUrH2dZvRsA_hyphenhyphenl8DB3CIneuKdUtKuHREGghKjC2zpCw7WcEZrSEqbgX0nP6DxI_FJnKdwEBodyPfo-M7MmxQz76r5Y/s640/9E0B5B3B-4044-41D9-AB7B-D795695AC5F1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/magic-sphere-of-helios" target="_blank">Magic Sphere of Helios</a> in the Acropolis Museum. Inspiration for the Statue of Liberty?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ob6ODylDxn4LSg80bU8K13HHqj6dtI80VcGdS08WG8I9ut0CV8VsZ0FNKCEsLGr1QyR_-4M4BDtRZDl8ufbVknpXc-o5e4z-S8WC6hKW0m2EUPpCMgcE1AhAFqfWGctM48U9BpFbOoE/s1600/74922528-1ED6-43A1-B084-BB01C5283750.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ob6ODylDxn4LSg80bU8K13HHqj6dtI80VcGdS08WG8I9ut0CV8VsZ0FNKCEsLGr1QyR_-4M4BDtRZDl8ufbVknpXc-o5e4z-S8WC6hKW0m2EUPpCMgcE1AhAFqfWGctM48U9BpFbOoE/s640/74922528-1ED6-43A1-B084-BB01C5283750.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like some new lodging opened up last year.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dZ-0WOy-lret0Ml1W4EszQBffP_7pyphyphenhyphenDMEwNQmK7kcFtALgODH-sBEfTfEikm2zocJKk3i4ZbB5nTIe6VGEychxFFvQ_AK0d24lld1gXcnS_RZt6aq0m9NfErU57h5Ic1wyVVpa40/s1600/86139E2A-9398-429D-BBAF-C54D5D4F575C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dZ-0WOy-lret0Ml1W4EszQBffP_7pyphyphenhyphenDMEwNQmK7kcFtALgODH-sBEfTfEikm2zocJKk3i4ZbB5nTIe6VGEychxFFvQ_AK0d24lld1gXcnS_RZt6aq0m9NfErU57h5Ic1wyVVpa40/s640/86139E2A-9398-429D-BBAF-C54D5D4F575C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">800-year old olive tree transplanted in 2015 to lawn near National Library.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik62_n8YlNxyCp9gEK5OpMJrNwLc01lYjXVjJkiLGP82yyQ4n71uKLxCJj1GbxXinRWYs4vpE_0JespcC7BSHd4_LCEQQN0KKr9oH8cU4Kd9lGkXH5PcRx3anKTJp1UUwshGDr6AjYkjc/s1600/F2182CDC-1B48-4747-8B7D-48C6CF1D0928.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1600" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik62_n8YlNxyCp9gEK5OpMJrNwLc01lYjXVjJkiLGP82yyQ4n71uKLxCJj1GbxXinRWYs4vpE_0JespcC7BSHd4_LCEQQN0KKr9oH8cU4Kd9lGkXH5PcRx3anKTJp1UUwshGDr6AjYkjc/s640/F2182CDC-1B48-4747-8B7D-48C6CF1D0928.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Regal Evzone guards on their way to duty post at the Tomb of the Unknowns</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comAthens, Greece37.9838096 23.72753880000004837.8836966 23.566177300000046 38.0839226 23.888900300000049tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-14092680801001745982019-03-31T17:06:00.000-04:002019-04-04T13:30:47.909-04:00Stepping into the Past<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 1: IN WHICH WE SET OFF ON THE ROADS TO RUINS<br />
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<strong>Stepping into the Past, Days 1-2: Atlanta, Georgia, to Athens, Greece.</strong> In the past couple of years we have visited some places in northern and eastern Europe with deep histories, cities that date back to the time of the first millenium. (We're looking at you, Oslo.) As ancient as those places appear through an American lens, this time we have planned a trip that will take us to places that make a 1049 founding date look like a city come lately.<br />
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Our current agenda takes us around the Mediterranean Sea. We have several motives in mind—visiting the last few countries in Europe that we've missed until now and delving into the Middle East for the first time in 40 years. Thanks to a cheap Delta flash sale last November, we booked a round trip flight to London from late March to mid May. With our list of places we wanted to visit, we thought we'd make a nice loop from London around the Mediterranean and back to London.<br />
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It seemed so simple, so logical. London to Athens (+ road trip around Greece). Greece to Cyprus to Jordan to Israel to Malta to Barcelona to Andorra and back to London. Perfect Mediterranean loop. But then reality reared its ugly head and we learned that the airlines didn't quite see things our way. Flights were simply not available to support this concept. So instead, we ended up with this itinerary.<br />
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Instead of our well-conceived route, actual flight availability forced us into this plan: London to Athens. Greece to Cyprus to Malta to Barcelona to Andorra to Jordan (via Madrid) to Israel to London (via Rome). We faced some challenges on the first legs of the journey, but to mention them would embarrassingly justify accusations of complaints about first world problems, so we'll leave that aside.<br />
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We have four full days in Athens to explore this ancient city before beginning our Greek road trip. (We decided to leave the islands for another journey.) More about that in Chapter 2.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">SATURDAY, 30 MARCH—SUNDAY, 31 MARCH, 2019</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter 1 Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Atlanta, Georgia USA<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Athens, Greece<br />
• <b>Air Miles: </b>5,706<br />
• <b>Road Miles:</b> 75<br />
• <b>Foot Miles: </b>11.62<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> How the heck do we know? We were in airplanes & airports most of the time.<br />
• <b>Total airline delays:</b> 2 hrs, 10 min<br />
• <b>Excuses for delays:</b> 5<br />
• <b>Crying babies on flights:</b> 6 (plus me)<br />
• <b>Airport duty free shops:</b> 164Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-32405527865656341192019-01-01T12:44:00.090-05:002021-07-02T13:44:31.563-04:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf0-fzQvNiY1ScjXx9RFBqeTNL4w3h4X4bffjDhHAXH86ySx_CRaDw8mjR-ApEN_ni2hafOtVrQpehZqCzBNjKr8emx2PTEhH9lkEZxXv2L7UEB4QBQy6i3XSkuUQa-D_ReogAeh8wiY/s850/2019+Heading+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="850" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf0-fzQvNiY1ScjXx9RFBqeTNL4w3h4X4bffjDhHAXH86ySx_CRaDw8mjR-ApEN_ni2hafOtVrQpehZqCzBNjKr8emx2PTEhH9lkEZxXv2L7UEB4QBQy6i3XSkuUQa-D_ReogAeh8wiY/w640-h154/2019+Heading+2.png" width="640" /></a><br /><span><div>Perhaps we were influenced by the increasing number of candles on our birthday cakes or just our lifelong fascination with history, but this year we decided to focus on the past—more specifically on ancient times. From the Middle East to the Mediterranean, from South America to the South Pacific, and even stateside, we sought out the remnants of ancient civilizations and marveled at what ancestral peoples were able to accomplish without technology or the modern tools we take for granted today.</div><div><br /></div><div>In between our archaeological expeditions, we soaked up the splendid scenery in some U.S. states we had longed to explore more in depth, helped celebrate Nanamama's 90th birthday, and took in a few Broadway shows. As we have in recent years, we spent a total of half the year traveling in 2019. Over the course of 42,000 air miles and 30,000 road miles, we visited 18 states and 12 countries. When not on the road, we continued to enjoy life in Alpharetta, north of Atlanta, and pursue our letterboxing hobby, though at a bit slower pace.</div><div> </div><div>Our first major trip of the year was a 43-day exploration of the Mediterranean area from late March to mid-May. In Greece, we found more than enough archaic sites to get oriented to life before the common era. From the architectural riches of the Acropolis to the hillside ruins of Delphi and the venerable citadel at Mycenae, antiquities abound in this former stronghold of the ancient world. </div><div> <br />From Greece, we traveled to Cyprus, Malta, Spain, Jordan and Israel, all with long histories and a multitude of sites preserved from the days before the modern calendar. In every location, we were awed by the resourcefulness and acumen of the ancient peoples who inhabited these lands. </div><div> <br />When June brought the threat of summer heat, we decided it was time for the cooler temps of Colorado. Since we planned to make another attempt at Machu Picchu in July, we were hoping the Rocky Mountains would also give us an opportunity to acclimate to higher elevations. Though we did adjust while there, the effect didn’t last through the few weeks home before we went south. </div><div> </div><div>However, Colorado, with its dramatic landscapes and natural beauty, has long been on our list of places to explore more thoroughly, and it did not disappoint. We spent 19 days wandering the picturesque byways and mountain passes, discovering tiny hamlets and villages, venturing into abandoned ghost towns, and pausing in Denver’s urban sprawl (and heat!) only long enough to fly in and out. </div><div> <br />After Ken broke his wrist in Paraguay last summer, we were left with some unfinished business in South America, so we flew back to Lima in July, exactly 51 weeks after our previous arrival. This time there were no injuries (just a little bit of altitude sickness), and we were thrilled to finally visit the legendary Machu Picchu as well as other Incan archaeological sites in Peru. Also back on our agenda was a trip to the spectacular Salar de Uyuni, the expansive Bolivian salt flats, where we had fun with the perspective-bending photography made possible by the vast empty, level landscape. </div><div> <br />Though it wasn’t on our agenda last summer, this time we added Easter Island to the itinerary. We have long been fascinated with this remote, miniscule volcanic island, just 15 miles long and 7.6 wide, and its mysterious moai statues, remnants of a past civilization. As at the other iconic South American destinations, our expectations at Easter Island were exceeded, making it well worth the 5.5-hour flight from Santiago.</div><div> <br />
With its giant evergreens, majestic snow-capped mountains and lush forests, the Pacific Northwest has been enticing us to return since we first visited the area 20 years ago. October brought a three-week opportunity to ramble around the scenic backroads of Washington, and we jumped at it. From Mount Rainier to the North Cascades, we drove almost 2,000 miles in our little rental car exploring the unique culture, quaint islands, and rugged wilderness of the Evergreen State and still felt there was more to see when we left. (Spoiler alert: We’re going back in 2020.)</div><div> <br />
Having checked out archaeological wonders on three other continents this year, we decided in November to take a road trip in search of pre-Columbian sites in the United States. And even though our country hasn’t always been conscientious about preserving ancient settlements that predate the arrival of Europeans on the continent, we found much to see. From the mound-building Mississipian cultures of the East and Midwest to the cliff-dwelling ancestral Puebloans of the Southwest, relics abound from the early peoples perennially ignored by writers of U.S. history curricula. Our journey was informed by Tony Horwitz’s excellent book, <i>A Voyage Long and Strange</i>.
</div><div><br /></div><div>After discovering that the logistics were now easier than we thought, we took a last-minute trip to Havana, Cuba, in December. It was one of our most fascinating journeys. Though we had previously visited at least seven former Soviet states in Europe, we were not prepared for the stark reality of Cuba’s paralyzed economy. Because of the lingering US embargo and without Soviet assistance, consumer goods are in excruciatingly short supply. Yet, even under these challenging conditions, the people we met through tours and in various locations seemed positive and resilient. In the last decade, some loosened government restrictions have opened the door for individual Cubans to engage in free enterprise, primarily involving services to tourists. We are hopeful that this trend will continue. </div><div style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">2019 Summary</span></b></div></span><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Major Trips</span></b></div><div><ul><li><span><span face="-webkit-standard"><span><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit;">Big Apple to Beantown</span></i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(January 27-February 3<span style="font-family: inherit;">).</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Theater in New York, state capitol buildings in CT and RI, but Boston still had too many "closed for winter" signs up.</span></span></span></span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span style="color: #783f04; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Stepping Into the Past </span><span><span style="color: #b45f06;"> </span> (March 30-May 12). Visiting ancient sites around the Mediterranean and checking off remaining European countries we hadn't visited before.</span></li></ul><ul><li><span><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit;">Rocky Mountain High</span></i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(June 11-29<span style="font-family: inherit;">).</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Three-week road trip around Colorado taking in its exquisite scenery.</span></span><div></div></li></ul></div><ul><li><span><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(120, 63, 4);"><b><i>Way Down South</i></b></span></span> (July 18-August 7). Returned to South America to finish what we missed before—Machu Picchu, Bolivian Salt Flats and Easter Island.</span><div></div></li></ul><ul><li><span><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit;">Wonders of Washington</span></i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(October 12-28<span style="font-family: inherit;">).</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Another intrastate road trip with an oversupply of scenic routes.</span></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="color: #783f04; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">In Search of Ancient America</span><span><span style="color: #b45f06;"> </span> (November 9-December 4). Exploration of ancient sites in North America until we were shut down by snow in Arizona.</span></li></ul><ul><li><span><i style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: inherit;">Luna Fete</span></i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(December 13-16<span style="font-family: inherit;">).</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> A last-minute trip to New Orleans for their festival of lights.</span></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="color: #783f04; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Journey into the Past</span><span><span style="color: #b45f06;"> </span> (December 24-28). A brief trip to Havana and its mid-1900s environment.</span></li></ul><div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>States We Visited in 2019</b></span></p><p></p><ol><li>Alabama</li><li>Arizona</li><li>Arkansas</li><li>Colorado</li><li>Connecticut</li><li>Florida</li><li>Georgia</li><li>Louisiana</li><li>Massachusetts</li><li>Mississippi</li><li>New Mexico</li><li>New York</li><li>North Carolina</li><li>Oklahoma</li><li>Rhode Island</li><li>Tennessee</li><li>Texas</li><li>Washington</li></ol></div><div><p><b style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Countries We Visited in 2019</span></b></p><p></p><ol><li>Andorra</li><li>Bolivia</li><li>Chile</li><li>Cuba</li><li>Cyprus</li><li>Greece</li><li>Israel</li><li>Jordan</li><li>Malta</li><li>Peru</li><li>Spain</li><li>United Kingdom</li></ol><p></p><p><b style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Other Events in 2019</span></b></p><p></p><ul><li><b>January</b> -Trip to Tallahassee to help investigate adaptive devices for Bruce</li></ul><div><ul><li><b>February</b> - Reunion with Pine family in Newnan</li></ul></div><ul><li><b>March</b> - North Georgia and Alabama letterboxing jaunt</li></ul><ul><li><b>May</b> - Grant's high school graduation</li></ul></div><div><ul><li><b>June</b>- Tameka Hunter's wedding</li></ul></div><div><ul><li><b>July</b> - Nanamama's 90th birthday party</li></ul></div><div><ul><li><b>September</b> - Ken's birthday in Blowing Rock (just us)</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-49874103878610301052018-05-19T15:00:00.000-04:002018-06-19T20:25:57.835-04:00Three Days in Kosovo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 25: IN WHICH THE POOR STAY POORER<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 53-55: Skopje, Macedonia to Prizren, Kosovo.</strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Thursday, 17 May: Skopje, Macedonia to Pristina, Kosovo. </b></span></span>As we left Macedonia , we had only one more country to visit before we could check off all the countries on the Balkan Peninsula: Kosovo. This diminutive nation—about three-fourths the size of Connecticut—also happens to be Europe's newest country, having declared its independence from Serbia in 2008.<br />
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Not that Serbia accepted Kosovo's plucky rebellion lying down. In fact, Serbia still considers the territory its own. As a result, Kosovo's status continues in dispute despite its having been recognized by 112 countries, including the U.S. Membership in the UN, however, has been blocked by the opposition and veto power of Russia, Serbia's ally on the Security Council. <br />
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And it's not just Serbia that doesn't recognize Kosovo's status as an independent country. On Google Maps, the boundary between Kosovo and Serbia is indicated with a broken line, not a solid line like other national borders. If you search for a city or address in Kosovo, Google Maps will return the information with the city name only—no country designation as it does with cities in other nations. <br />
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Even our cellular carrier was confused. Normally when we enter a foreign country, we receive an automatically generated text message from Verizon. It welcomes us to the new country and advises us about the conditions and cost of using our phone in that country. When we entered Kosovo, our text messages from Verizon welcomed us to Slovenia (500 miles away) and, a few hours later, to Monaco (700 miles). Poor little Kosovo just gets no respect.<br />
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Kosovo has long been one of the poorest, least-developed regions of the Balkans. During the second half of the 20th century, when it was part of the republic of Serbia within the greater Yugoslavia, a number of the other republics objected to the federal economic support given to Kosovo. This controversy ultimately contributed to the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991.<br />
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Our first stop in Kosovo was its capital city, Pristina <i>(pop. 200,000)</i>, just a 60-mile drive from Skopje. Kosovo's population is about 90% ethnic Albanian, a primary reason behind Serbian repression of the area. In fact, Pristina is the second-largest Albanian-speaking city in the world, behind only Tirana. Residents of Kosovo, and particularly Pristina, have a fondness for Bill Clinton because of his role in supporting Kosovo and persuading NATO to intervene in the 1998-99 Kosovo War with Serbia (which was about all that was left of Yugoslavia by then). <br />
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Pristina's main thoroughfare through the city is called Boulevard Bill Klinton and features an eleven-foot statue of the former president atop a tiered pedestal in a small square on the street that bears his name. High above his head is a faded portrait of Kosovo's American hero painted on the side of the high rise Brutalist building behind him.<br />
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Just a few dozen feet away from the monument to Bill, a women's clothing shop pays homage to his wife. Opened shortly after the end of the Kosovo War, the Hillary store features clothing styles favored by America's former secretary of state. It was no surprise to find an entire room devoted to monochromatic pants suits in many hues—but only those that Hillary herself might choose. In fact, she visited the store in 2010 and was presented with a navy blue ensemble in the familiar Hillary style.<br />
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Apparently the store has been so successful, the owners opened Hillary 2 in a local mall. Maybe we were not visiting the areas of town where such styles are popular, but we did not see any women attired as Hillary look-alikes around the city.<br />
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One of the attractions of the city mentioned often online and in official tourist brochures and maps of Pristina is the NEWBORN monument erected in 2008 to commemorate Kosovo's birth as an independent state. Unveiled on the day the country declared its independence, the typographic sculpture was initially painted bright yellow. Later the flags of the countries that have recognized Kosovo's independence decorated the letters. Each year, a new decorative theme is applied to the monument on the anniversary of its unveiling. Since 2018 marks the tenth anniversary, the letters B and O were replaced with the numeral 10 for this year. Currently it is covered with seemingly random graffiti. Whether this free expression is encouraged or not, it apparently has been tolerated since the first design, perhaps another way to celebrate freedom and independence.<br />
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Though we did lots of strolling around the city (had to cover our daily five-mile quota), the only other designated tourist attraction we visited was the National Library of Kosovo, a monument to Brutalist architecture that frequently lands on "World's Ugliest Buildings" lists. Inside the library, we found few people and lots of areas that seemed to be abandoned. This pattern of neglect and partial abandonment was something we observed frequently in Kosovo.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A youngster sitting on Pristina's main pedestrian thoroughfare to seek handouts</td></tr>
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As we were strolling toward a cemetery to look for a letterbox, a local pedestrian greeted us and—knowing most Kosovars are ethnic Albanians—we were glad to engage in a conversation with him. When he learned we were Americans, he gushed over how helpful the U.S. and Bill Clinton had been to Kosovo and declared that if he was ever needed by the USA, he would gladly jump in to assist. After we thanked him for his hospitality and tried to walk away, he began telling us that he had cancer and needed money to pay for treatment. And this was another pattern we would see often in Kosovo—begging. Apparently asking for donations to fund nonexistent medical problems is a common strategy. Unfortunately, having children do the panhandling is another. But we would see much more of that later in the week.<br />
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<b>Friday, 18 May: Pristina, Kosovo to Peja, Kosovo. </b>After one night in Pristina, we set out the next morning to drive the sixty miles to Peja, a city of 50,000 located strategically on the river Peć Bistrica. The city dates back to the first millennium, but it is best known as a medieval religious center and, for most contemporary visitors, as the entrance to Rugova Canyon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patriarchate of Peć monastery</td></tr>
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Our first stop, between the town and the canyon, was at the Patriarchate of Peć Monastery, a medieval complex built in the 13th century to serve as the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Through the centuries the monastery was expanded with each of the doors in the photo above serving as entrances to individual churches built in different periods but attached to each other. Today the monastery is protected as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rugova Canyon and the Peć Bistrica River</td></tr>
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Continuing on the road past the monastery, we entered Rugova Canyon. Winding through the Accursed Mountains, the 16-mile long gorge is one of Europe's most extensive canyons. The river Peć Bistrica races through the valley floor alongside the road. Rugova is popular with hikers, rock climbers and spelunkers. <br />
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Apparently the road can be a dangerous place if not navigated carefully. Along the highway, we saw numerous roadside monuments memorializing persons who had died at various spots. Unlike the simple wooden crosses we're accustomed to seeing in the U.S., these poignant markers were formal granite memorials of the type seen in cemeteries. More often than not, they had been recently decorated with flowers, even in cases such as the one pictured above whose victims had died almost 40 years earlier.<br />
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After visiting the canyon, we drove back into Peja to check into the Semitronix Hotel. The name was a bit puzzling (named for the Chinese chip manufacturer?), and we had read that it occupied the top two floors of a mid-rise building in the city. But it had only positive reviews on TripAdvisor, so we had decided to try it out. Having seen the sign for the hotel when we passed through the city on our way to the canyon, we slowly approached, looking in vain for a place to park along the street. Just before we gave up, we saw a young man beckoning us toward the entrance to an underground parking area.<br />
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"Hotel?" he asked. When we agreed, he raised the manually operated gate to allow us to drive down into the dirt-floored underground parking garage. Immediately we noticed several dust-coated vehicles, some with flat tires, that looked as if they had been there for quite some time. Wondering whether we'd ever retrieve our rental car again, we headed upstairs to the hotel's reception desk, leaving our bags in the car. Unfortunately, our experience with the hotel did not live up to those of the reviewers on TripAdvisor, as both the rooms offered to us had strong mildew odors. We checked out shortly after checking in, and the reception staff were kind enough to allow us to do so without penalty.<br />
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Glad to extract our rental car from the dirt pit before it succumbed to whatever misfortunes befell the other cars, we moved over to the lovely Hotel Dukagjini, marveling that we had permitted a few negative reviews to steer us away from this jewel located adjacent to a city park. As we saw in Sofia and other places, the park boasted an extensive inventory of electrically powered mini cars for children.<br />
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Once we got our bags settled into the new hotel, we walked to the nearby old bazaar, a warren of narrow, mostly pedestrian streets lined with shops selling all manner of goods. Unlike in similar markets in some other cities, the shops there offered ordinary consumer goods—clothing, shoes, housewares—rather than just souvenir and gift items.<br />
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We passed numerous formal wear shops in the market with elaborate gowns and ornately decorated period costumes.<br />
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Mannequins were in wide use, and many looked as if they had been injured in the Kosovo War, though they were probably just obtained at prices deeply discounted to reflect their wear and tear.<br />
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As we had seen in Pristina, panhandlers positioned themselves in pedestrian areas of Peja to solicit donations from passers-by.<br />
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<b>Saturday, 19 May: Peja to Prizren. </b>Our last stop in Kosovo was Prizren, Kosovo's crown jewel for tourists. Nestled in a valley between the Šar Mountains and the ruins of Kaljaja Fortress on a hill above the city, Prizren has a history dating back before the year 1000.<br />
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On the 65-mile drive from Peja to Prizren, we came across the Terzijski Bridge (aka, Tailors' Bridge) over the River Erenik near the village of Bistražin. An Ottoman construction from the late 1400s, the bridge once served travelers along a medieval trading route. Restored in the 1980s, the bridge today is limited to pedestrian use.<br />
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Though we often come across these multi-arch bridges from the Ottoman and even Roman eras, what caught our attention with the Tailors' Bridge was the deck surface. Rather than the typical level flat roadway, this wavy bridge deck follows the shape of the arches. <br />
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Because distances between cities in Kosovo are so short, we were able to arrive in each city no later than mid-morning and have almost a full day to check out the city before spending the night there. And since tourism hasn't yet caught on in the country, we were able to check in to our hotels upon our morning arrival, stash our bags and begin our exploration.<br />
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Our sights in Prizren were set on the Kaljaja Fortress set atop a hill high above the city (see photo above). The walk to the fortress from the city center was not long, but it was quite steep. With plenty of water and a willingness to pause from time to time to catch our breath, we made it to the top with no problem. <br />
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Not only did we find well-preserved ruins to examine, the view of the city from the hilltop was quite stunning. Returning back down to the city center, we strolled through the pedestrian area along the river and found a restaurant for lunch. <br />
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Flowing through the center of the city, the narrow Prizren Bistrica river is spanned by numerous bridges, including many for pedestrians only. One of these was so loaded with "love locks," we marveled that it had not collapsed under the strain. These misguided symbols of affection and devotion add tons of weight that bridges weren't designed to carry, especially when attached in this volume. To make matters worse, a young vendor had set up a stand on the bridge selling locks.<br />
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As we had seen in other Kosovo cities, the sight of children panhandling in Prizren was heartbreaking, and Prizren seemed to have more of this activity than Peja or Pristina. Several children were walking around the pedestrian area and through the tables in sidewalk cafes while we were having lunch, performing on drums to generate donations from patrons.<br />
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It was near the end of the school term, so large groups of high school students were visiting the city that day. Later in the afternoon, we saw a tragic young girl of about eight trying to get the attention of some of the teens. We had seen her several times earlier in the day, including one period when she was lying facedown on the sidewalk with her hood covering her head, presumably resting. <br />
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Though the high schoolers weren't unkind, they weren't paying her much notice. Then two other drummers—a girl and boy, who looked to be around 10—barged in and started banging rudely on the young girl's drum. Eventually all the panhandlers wandered off when the teenagers weren't forthcoming with money. When the younger girl walked away, I approached her and pointed to a nearby gelato stand. She seemed quite wary but reluctantly followed me over, and I bought her an ice cream cone. She scooted off to a hidden corner to eat her treat, probably afraid the older drummers would take it from her. <br />
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As we walked back toward our hotel, we saw those two ten-year-olds with an adult who appeared to be their handler. He was playing some type of gambling game with the kids, no doubt "winning" the money they had collected. The man and the young boy were both smoking cigarettes.<br />
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According to reports by international organizations which have studied the problem of child beggars in the Balkans, most street beggars are from the Roma and Egyptian communities. These children, who do not attend school and live in dire poverty, are often forced into begging by parents or criminal handlers. <br />
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Having migrated to the eastern European area more than 1,000 years ago from India and/or Egypt, depending on which history you accept, the Roma/Egyptian people continue to face ethnic discrimination of monumental proportions in eastern Europe. Unemployment in Kosovo's general population hovers around 30%, making life difficult for many citizens. But widespread unwillingness to hire these dark-skinned minorities pushes them into a precarious existence with an unemployment rate estimated above 70%. In some Balkan cities, including Shkoder, Albania, Roma families live in makeshift tents within garbage dumps, where they conduct rudimentary recycling by going through the trash. <br />
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Though we never felt unsafe in Kosovo, as some friends and family expected, all is not well in Europe's newest country. Kosovo's gloomy economic outlook has tainted the celebration of the country's tenth anniversary of independence for all its people, but for these marginalized minorities, the future seems especially bleak. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">THURSDAY, 17 MAY & SATURDAY, 19 MAY, 2018</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Three-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Skopje, Macedonia<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Prizren, Kosovo<br />
• <b>Miles driven: </b>170<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 18.79<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 52° to 73°,sunny to partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Albanian flags on display:</b> 785<br />
• <b>Kosovar flags on display:</b> 114<br />
• <b>People smoking:</b> 50%<br />
• <b>Potholes:</b> 14,278<br />
• <b>Google Maps estimate for 42-mile trip:</b> 1 hr, 45 min (road quality & speed limits)<br />
• <b>Tractors driving on road:</b> 29<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Loved:</b> The fact that peace seems to have gained a stronghold in Kosovo.<br />
<b><br />
Lacking: </b>Where do we begin? An impoverished area struck out on its own and declared independence, so now it's an impoverished country. Unfortunately, this condition and the rampant discrimination against certain ethnic groups continues to have a devastating and disproportionate effect on children, who are not being educated or protected, so the cycle goes on.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> Throughout our travels in recent years, we have used our cellular carrier's travel feature which allows us to use our smart phone as we would at home by paying a daily fee. This option was not available in Kosovo because Verizon lacks a partner there. We learned that we could indeed survive three days of travel without cell phone service.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYytmsikAUA_k0DhlWjGRN80L8bCxXA-H2PeYpI4qgSh8DUjjldzXm_NZLUESSXrjgaIaBD59lc4BWJHwxBlXWjvvMPZaxd6H46CudDotUxASXNuIrcZgxKY3vMx6NF0VPc7IVb6Ua1A/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="1006" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYytmsikAUA_k0DhlWjGRN80L8bCxXA-H2PeYpI4qgSh8DUjjldzXm_NZLUESSXrjgaIaBD59lc4BWJHwxBlXWjvvMPZaxd6H46CudDotUxASXNuIrcZgxKY3vMx6NF0VPc7IVb6Ua1A/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we decided we wanted to visit all the Balkan countries on this trip, we had no idea how complicated the logistics of traveling between these countries would be. In most cases, the only flights to and from major cities of the area go to other parts of Europe—Zurich, Vienna, Istanbul. Direct flights within the Balkans are rare. Moreover, train service in most countries is either antiquated or absent. International trains between countries do not exist because of historical gauge differences. Buses are available widely but often are independently operated marshrutkas which operate on informal, unpublished "schedules." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since the </span>countries are about the size of U.S. states, a road trip seemed the logical solution. However, finding a rental company that was willing to allow its vehicles to be driven from one country to another was quite a challenge. After many, many hours of research, we discovered that Sixt would permit its cars rented in Sarajevo to be driven to most other Balkan countries—except Kosovo. More digging uncovered the free-wheeling Macedonian Sixt policy—drive their cars anywhere in Europe, even in Kosovo. So, on our last day in Skopje, we turned in the car we picked up in Sarajevo three weeks before and picked up another car which we could drive into Kosovo and return in Tirana.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHqzFQKxeJwNKZTWJG4RO7Aw753jhzEiXCJFDgfcfgFG40URlninmXnsW3NN53DJcJMKF4SZb-BW4CMVsHOhuSEUZJrB-xq5tBbACC-nZL0UImY9hN5sKfsLZgTnuZ_sUZvg6rwwvpiE/s1600/98B214D7-B3FA-4E2E-ADD7-E260CABABCC3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHqzFQKxeJwNKZTWJG4RO7Aw753jhzEiXCJFDgfcfgFG40URlninmXnsW3NN53DJcJMKF4SZb-BW4CMVsHOhuSEUZJrB-xq5tBbACC-nZL0UImY9hN5sKfsLZgTnuZ_sUZvg6rwwvpiE/s640/98B214D7-B3FA-4E2E-ADD7-E260CABABCC3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Before leaving Skopje, we looked for a letterbox at an ancient aqueduct.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1eMVyZM4nfqcjDxajdWDe7It_toM9tKuqdTiRq4DdJsdhPuHcQVZggsLVkTuonrdBCgUi02-WpU6h57wNZFwXBb47qeyg4sCR-Chk0-ZDcW7aIvmaIGCHKBZ_3VJMxvsCleJHqgEIuQ/s1600/D72E1E6E-3AF0-4F12-917A-9FDDE9CC5D13.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1eMVyZM4nfqcjDxajdWDe7It_toM9tKuqdTiRq4DdJsdhPuHcQVZggsLVkTuonrdBCgUi02-WpU6h57wNZFwXBb47qeyg4sCR-Chk0-ZDcW7aIvmaIGCHKBZ_3VJMxvsCleJHqgEIuQ/s640/D72E1E6E-3AF0-4F12-917A-9FDDE9CC5D13.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And another at a cemetery. With a funeral that day, floral vendors were selling cut flowers for the service.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRaQaDvS-MByrV7_v_XPRoKoBUbNi4z6FO4iQoQOAa4T8Bv6gRvm6Aiyc6-6QKX9aLMytenlw3ryA4Q-lZilpU9QRdgyrDuq1SEZKDdlHyuHWeEvJ0yyxAFZ2qtyH-TSB8cYSvV8CsC4/s1600/89A52553-C799-4BA1-8BB6-9EB707C96094.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRaQaDvS-MByrV7_v_XPRoKoBUbNi4z6FO4iQoQOAa4T8Bv6gRvm6Aiyc6-6QKX9aLMytenlw3ryA4Q-lZilpU9QRdgyrDuq1SEZKDdlHyuHWeEvJ0yyxAFZ2qtyH-TSB8cYSvV8CsC4/s640/89A52553-C799-4BA1-8BB6-9EB707C96094.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical of the beautiful scenery between Skopje and Pristina</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvd4nhfSRnO9iVQ4Oj7T_G0VYF5lxzt2ULVMlLTfuzRMb5ewMOFc2IzDEoftk1d9G1kTJV9_BfqN1a_ufo6LVVY3iTeo6Dboz6cAbPFTbpRfNSfXHRhrhJgQ2C_hlDRRxAeK6OzYVykpQ/s1600/B1F27D9A-1F7F-4612-8C3C-3449874425BA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvd4nhfSRnO9iVQ4Oj7T_G0VYF5lxzt2ULVMlLTfuzRMb5ewMOFc2IzDEoftk1d9G1kTJV9_BfqN1a_ufo6LVVY3iTeo6Dboz6cAbPFTbpRfNSfXHRhrhJgQ2C_hlDRRxAeK6OzYVykpQ/s640/B1F27D9A-1F7F-4612-8C3C-3449874425BA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A letterbox was said to be somewhere amid the chest-high grass in this Pristina cemetery. We had to pass. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ627EMamB4ZMiB2wMyjnsLSk4Y3P8stnickjsam29t4iHqR4h9cqip-pMqQn3lEXF0YuXuIV4Li_VapS1VCQ8Vk0ElrVxoTxolRLfa_xb2yTx8CRbi8wZ2mnrKp-maK6xlFl85K-YVH0/s1600/FB482E82-6BEB-4506-9C98-29E6051905D9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ627EMamB4ZMiB2wMyjnsLSk4Y3P8stnickjsam29t4iHqR4h9cqip-pMqQn3lEXF0YuXuIV4Li_VapS1VCQ8Vk0ElrVxoTxolRLfa_xb2yTx8CRbi8wZ2mnrKp-maK6xlFl85K-YVH0/s640/FB482E82-6BEB-4506-9C98-29E6051905D9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oddly war-like eagles decorated the pews in Pristina's Mother Teresa Catholic cathedral.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAmsnNWd_xUkToMmPwPd5Mn4EKM93XSucToclfFPcJPryyyewOq9k_oDnxd6Dg0TYYcYYzqbryAIX-2gGU3do_UJLsqWG1hvYUE6eroLwipUQC4AsThZErQhPngmtVagUvre7h7Mz5Ns/s1600/A5CF51B4-B62C-48D7-B978-D88BFDDA1133.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAmsnNWd_xUkToMmPwPd5Mn4EKM93XSucToclfFPcJPryyyewOq9k_oDnxd6Dg0TYYcYYzqbryAIX-2gGU3do_UJLsqWG1hvYUE6eroLwipUQC4AsThZErQhPngmtVagUvre7h7Mz5Ns/s640/A5CF51B4-B62C-48D7-B978-D88BFDDA1133.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw the Albanian flag more often than the national flag of Kosovo, as at this monument.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restoration projects prevented visits to historic Prizren churches. Razor wire enforced "Closed" signs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwb5-_gnEZA6k4nMguE0Xr9KRh07dhuTSpjb1DCRu9bDSu2lhiVDNvX-l5tMDTmGhBp4ePsNsMBP-dNllJfKpvTsD5wE-zF_8KOAH4UWLCGUxoCoOoQR6KfKq38D2FreCNrQU_CxsY5U/s1600/A929654D-4896-44D2-8A48-9CAC73A4353C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwb5-_gnEZA6k4nMguE0Xr9KRh07dhuTSpjb1DCRu9bDSu2lhiVDNvX-l5tMDTmGhBp4ePsNsMBP-dNllJfKpvTsD5wE-zF_8KOAH4UWLCGUxoCoOoQR6KfKq38D2FreCNrQU_CxsY5U/s640/A929654D-4896-44D2-8A48-9CAC73A4353C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No underground wiring in Prizren</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNU-OIal2YsNWXqf7LRT3CIAe2ZbDAZr_yUhIvQHrxSwCA-ROilChTDbgeCjwrerL3DxKLrzd4oX8OhKGmglspnMlPJgSd-OekB7ikJ_1n8RqWsWRvb3DCFoNDoAXO83chDMIOq4M36oo/s1600/9C9CDD4C-D07E-4632-A27C-E92F6068AFFA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNU-OIal2YsNWXqf7LRT3CIAe2ZbDAZr_yUhIvQHrxSwCA-ROilChTDbgeCjwrerL3DxKLrzd4oX8OhKGmglspnMlPJgSd-OekB7ikJ_1n8RqWsWRvb3DCFoNDoAXO83chDMIOq4M36oo/s640/9C9CDD4C-D07E-4632-A27C-E92F6068AFFA.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charming yarn bombing display in Prizren</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj-Nute609uCyeLinKzGtAajttf01ynvkUr3OmN01SfdaO0IREapLRHAuv2xg1krKP8njYmQDaoUU7pqgZBRKJtn0fdV0EucPJpI7a5BsTOoNEKXZQn-Yt5yIETWrN63poLmGY-qsM8k/s1600/48D65F70-4387-48A5-B603-80A0F296DD1C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj-Nute609uCyeLinKzGtAajttf01ynvkUr3OmN01SfdaO0IREapLRHAuv2xg1krKP8njYmQDaoUU7pqgZBRKJtn0fdV0EucPJpI7a5BsTOoNEKXZQn-Yt5yIETWrN63poLmGY-qsM8k/s640/48D65F70-4387-48A5-B603-80A0F296DD1C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wildflowers in bloom atop Kaljaja's hill</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comPrizren42.2152585 20.7414738999999642.1211895 20.580112399999958 42.309327499999995 20.902835399999962tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-10762127477070090922018-05-16T07:45:00.000-04:002018-05-22T08:30:40.421-04:00Nothing Exceeds Like Excess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 24: IN WHICH IMAGINATION AND SPENDING SPIN OUT OF CONTROL<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 50-52: Bitola, Macedonia to Skopje, Macedonia.</strong> Beginning in 2010, the prime minister of Macedonia initiated a massive building project, Skopje 2014. Its object was to fill the streets of the Macedonian capital city with oversized statues and ornate neoclassical buildings in an effort to historicize a city all but destroyed by earthquake in 1963. Perhaps, as some have suggested, it was all part of a plan for Macedonia to thumb its nose at its angry neighbor to the south.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macedonia Square, dominated by 8-story tall statue of <strike>Alexander the Great</strike> Warrior on a Horse</td></tr>
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In addition to the Greek objection to the small country's use of the name Macedonia, the powers that be in Athens (and much of the population of Greek Macedonia) have been offended by Skopje's claim to Alexander the Great and other leaders of the ancient Kingdom of Macedon. And since the tiny country still needs the good will of its larger neighbor, they're willing to push things only so far. Even though they erected a 75-ft statue with an obvious likeness of Alexander the Great in Skopje's main square, the official title of the work is "Warrior on a Horse."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1L_6qDbf4mYKY5U8s-2Lw3K6owNroNRUdm2Ta-2ECzvxImtMbByJ9xw4TtPtmv28j7XrN0JV8VQKf3Lf0_rZIr_nwTee90bnJ_Ieo9r9YUfGnSGoUhFkw694_JFLk2cx3GTB3Ia46nEc/s1600/D85C0F83-58AC-4B47-9FDF-A7D3524CA99B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1L_6qDbf4mYKY5U8s-2Lw3K6owNroNRUdm2Ta-2ECzvxImtMbByJ9xw4TtPtmv28j7XrN0JV8VQKf3Lf0_rZIr_nwTee90bnJ_Ieo9r9YUfGnSGoUhFkw694_JFLk2cx3GTB3Ia46nEc/s640/D85C0F83-58AC-4B47-9FDF-A7D3524CA99B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skopje's Central Post Office</td></tr>
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But a little background is needed. In July of 1963, a massive earthquake destroyed about 80 percent of the buildings of the city of Skopje. Much of the recovery efforts employed the concrete brutalist architectural style, then in vogue. The Skopje 2014 project camouflaged many of those modernist buildings with neoclassical facades highlighted by hollow columns and artificial sculptures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVtKWAsjGbcPYZn0R_JWXUg2b-FK84-8eoeox1LvHu8pciZ6TVIcLXwx-UxkTPmzCI6ML4Owg1SmXFEdzTW4f1XKYLRkf5HAVSrGHqenPGNwyNHMiHncaxr8IsNM3wfnCGJJxJHd2-sI/s1600/2E1287AB-7C8A-44CC-80CE-33DC9C325FC0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVtKWAsjGbcPYZn0R_JWXUg2b-FK84-8eoeox1LvHu8pciZ6TVIcLXwx-UxkTPmzCI6ML4Owg1SmXFEdzTW4f1XKYLRkf5HAVSrGHqenPGNwyNHMiHncaxr8IsNM3wfnCGJJxJHd2-sI/s640/2E1287AB-7C8A-44CC-80CE-33DC9C325FC0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neoclassical facade disguises brutalist Telecommunications Center in Skopje. <i>(photo by Bojan Blazevski)</i></td></tr>
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When first announced in 2010, the Skope 2014 project was to include construction of some 40 monuments, sculptures, renovated facades and new buildings. By 2015, the number of structures and monuments had tripled and construction continues. <br />
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Though many, if not most, Macedonians objected to the massive spending project, the building pressed on with the installation of dozens and dozens of statues and the masking of many of the central city's buildings. Most of the project was confined to an area near the main square and its environs. And apparently no idea was too extreme.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Rssq4RYO1shJna2cYiXH-TI_m9-9kz_ubsFFssKXfzi02RFElKlKlBZd2VialhnRj2m9m_-XPwydlOdhxEluTyOyvC_WjPTocbqj1BPn82qZ6eAXfJrGRc3rUo22UndWcjDdb-k7zGA/s1600/1659279A-CE7B-466B-942E-ED4251C37761.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Rssq4RYO1shJna2cYiXH-TI_m9-9kz_ubsFFssKXfzi02RFElKlKlBZd2VialhnRj2m9m_-XPwydlOdhxEluTyOyvC_WjPTocbqj1BPn82qZ6eAXfJrGRc3rUo22UndWcjDdb-k7zGA/s640/1659279A-CE7B-466B-942E-ED4251C37761.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of several bridges covered with statues of Macedonian (and Bulgarian and Greek) historical figures</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBt4Mmmia9jQrPeWN_PvxInqszkbowvz14tDxAkU2QWMo-uaJ9ZRuVftcZKKbDNKFaRBFCukNk7_f9rh73HchVne1td3L9Zv6DGX64sJJLsdOkiT2sZLTt5lW3EK3pyYXNIm5iaLNeF_M/s1600/5D21E3D3-A738-48CB-B8FF-0F67ABA2D6F0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBt4Mmmia9jQrPeWN_PvxInqszkbowvz14tDxAkU2QWMo-uaJ9ZRuVftcZKKbDNKFaRBFCukNk7_f9rh73HchVne1td3L9Zv6DGX64sJJLsdOkiT2sZLTt5lW3EK3pyYXNIm5iaLNeF_M/s640/5D21E3D3-A738-48CB-B8FF-0F67ABA2D6F0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park a fake boat in the river to serve as a hotel and restaurant? Sure, let's make it three!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqxLf8Rha-hqak8xdzmZJkza54JJ4V4DDMcuQ-1EwIXh2cYGHlPK69dcZkq77HNwuJTySql1MmrK-17FpIkaFNUJOYvuDwBv1O_wgZCyF2PaU39A_6Iym8as-LrqquiGXIa2qPihAyMo/s1600/E286644F-FE7B-4A2F-8EBF-5765C79B83DC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqxLf8Rha-hqak8xdzmZJkza54JJ4V4DDMcuQ-1EwIXh2cYGHlPK69dcZkq77HNwuJTySql1MmrK-17FpIkaFNUJOYvuDwBv1O_wgZCyF2PaU39A_6Iym8as-LrqquiGXIa2qPihAyMo/s640/E286644F-FE7B-4A2F-8EBF-5765C79B83DC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plant some trees in the middle of the river? No problem!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPOJvz9rBURh9riKwIEBdPIxczRqN8R6sxrRPRRB1zqBKDyHDI6YhdGrsB2sCW10e2_gyPONQDEw6MCq-NFtXeW2R27ACpp9nDDkaH5uhbYZ7zLvlYq_0keHIe9l8zNiA7QdwpoCRsG4/s1600/MacedoniaGovtBefore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="800" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPOJvz9rBURh9riKwIEBdPIxczRqN8R6sxrRPRRB1zqBKDyHDI6YhdGrsB2sCW10e2_gyPONQDEw6MCq-NFtXeW2R27ACpp9nDDkaH5uhbYZ7zLvlYq_0keHIe9l8zNiA7QdwpoCRsG4/s640/MacedoniaGovtBefore.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macedonian government HQ building BEFORE Skopje 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhWvm1fx5El-NoM0rEQaLu26y69qhgGoYBHOidP_iwJdLL6g6bt9O9hJtmvoJvlFPzVffADFA_dC_OJDZB60VievpeHVDrX_Qnjl98T0a5_tW6NvDIIu15tkdbN0x4H4IEgZM3CNwhQA/s1600/A549666B-32C1-4A9A-8A14-DE8C53A169FC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZhWvm1fx5El-NoM0rEQaLu26y69qhgGoYBHOidP_iwJdLL6g6bt9O9hJtmvoJvlFPzVffADFA_dC_OJDZB60VievpeHVDrX_Qnjl98T0a5_tW6NvDIIu15tkdbN0x4H4IEgZM3CNwhQA/s640/A549666B-32C1-4A9A-8A14-DE8C53A169FC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Government HQ building AFTER with its new facade of hollow columns and plaster decorations</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNjOUUzUGtHMoTJkDjwk8lAcScHxxrXfjm8uptbcQeEPMHY3_lRGglOPY53JsIADD0o8Shvx-ZScBzBbNBbPV74IycRwuW0MNXbogrV8LprTk2fZbioKuAFkk2MekuHpMgvWESyYU3No/s1600/MacedoniaArch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1440" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNjOUUzUGtHMoTJkDjwk8lAcScHxxrXfjm8uptbcQeEPMHY3_lRGglOPY53JsIADD0o8Shvx-ZScBzBbNBbPV74IycRwuW0MNXbogrV8LprTk2fZbioKuAFkk2MekuHpMgvWESyYU3No/s640/MacedoniaArch.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly the Macedonian Arch borrowed some design inspiration from Paris.</td></tr>
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It comes as no surprise that both the design aesthetics and the scope of Skopje 2014 provoked controversy from the outset. The government that conceived the project (which was ousted last year) insisted that the makeover would instill national pride and restore the historical feel of a city whose roots date back more than 2,000 years. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIn-ma5UswkfGBniJQkyeU2dYnOL-fmUkprw6YXNXiGHDGUhH-jWlQW_IlgEZLoTr4B-JRqpLB4aHW2eAsSvBWqQVZAh5dG-YRzUlaEW0OiO97dkzHzixTF31OzWlyk0QD3t806TpVWc/s1600/96B6A974-0C70-4996-9CFB-D00EBB61C699.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIn-ma5UswkfGBniJQkyeU2dYnOL-fmUkprw6YXNXiGHDGUhH-jWlQW_IlgEZLoTr4B-JRqpLB4aHW2eAsSvBWqQVZAh5dG-YRzUlaEW0OiO97dkzHzixTF31OzWlyk0QD3t806TpVWc/s640/96B6A974-0C70-4996-9CFB-D00EBB61C699.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course, colorful lights illuminate the new treasures by night.</td></tr>
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Detractors complained about the ballooning cost—from the originally announced €80 million to more than €670 million and counting—and the lack of transparency in noncompetitive contracts awarded to friends and relatives of government officials. Others accused the government of using the project to distract from the country's significant problems with high unemployment, poverty, and stalled progress toward membership in EU and NATO.<br />
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The government that came to power last year initially called a halt to all Skopje 2014 projects. There was even talk of reversing some of the transformations and removing of some of the excess. Yet construction continues on new projects while unemployment hovers near 25% and, by most estimates, nearly a third of Macedonians live in poverty. We have seen more beggars on the streets of Skopje than in all the other countries we've visited on this trip combined. Many children are involved in panhandling, whether with parents or on their own with parents watching from nearby.<br />
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Perhaps in time, the new government will get a handle on the excess spending on frivolous and needless construction and begin to address the genuine needs of its people. We asked a young Macedonian father what he thought about the Skopje 2014 project and he gave us an earful. He traveled for 15 years working on cruise ships all over the world, so he has a broad and enlightened perspective. In his estimation, his country needs to remove some of the extravagant results of the construction that went overboard. He contended that Macedonia is making a mistake trying to ally itself with the EU and NATO because the people have more in common with the East than the West. In his opinion, Turkey is a more natural ally for Macedonia than France or Germany. But like most everyone else we met in the country, he was courteous and friendly and open to communicating with us.<br />
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<b>And the Real Skopje</b><br />
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In contrast to the artificial carnival atmosphere around the central square, Skopje does have some genuine historical sites, particularly in the old city on the opposite shore of the Vardar River. Perched on a hill on the city's highest point, overlooking the river, is Skopje Fortress.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjdcbz_P5_mCaBCJgAHyIMIO1lPUXHRcYuDIYG2lj1Yya6t9lDVWHyzsKBpO1Qq__ZEgMsl7p6zhToUBnOuaMh5HmPdQ42v-reegL6OB1DeSL2_j8S9Ix4hUwHAyCNGCO9QMsuazoY1Q/s1600/7E33E4BB-19D1-42E3-B6DF-B9E8A77EEF09.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjdcbz_P5_mCaBCJgAHyIMIO1lPUXHRcYuDIYG2lj1Yya6t9lDVWHyzsKBpO1Qq__ZEgMsl7p6zhToUBnOuaMh5HmPdQ42v-reegL6OB1DeSL2_j8S9Ix4hUwHAyCNGCO9QMsuazoY1Q/s640/7E33E4BB-19D1-42E3-B6DF-B9E8A77EEF09.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poppies dominated the landscape at the fortress.</td></tr>
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In search of a letterbox, we climbed up to the fortress, only to find it alive with a profusion of wildflowers. Though there was evidence that the compound had once been well maintained, it is currently overgrown with tall grass except along a few paths and the top of the wall. Being the dedicated letterboxer that he is, Ken waded through knee-deep weeds to locate the letterbox, ejecting several hitchhiking ticks off his pants legs when he was done.<br />
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Another dose of Skopje reality occurred just after we arrived. The agent for the apartment we had rented through booking.com had asked us to meet him in front of the large St. Clement church, except there was nowhere to pull over, let alone park there. We found a parking place along a crowded side street nearby and met him on foot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEIx9sk6wZb-k91qmE1HeEmW_D21cvF6roPvcFIuqlMpZRgkXrJAAz8nt75dEJRsKALrNwhQLntTDd2gUWddyc_aZPewrRALZwPmDIHd6ajxULjeah4o5WYEMPUIMSTIKRjQ6ChHy_70/s1600/028650CA-9E09-43FE-8E0D-4ADB4B0331EB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEIx9sk6wZb-k91qmE1HeEmW_D21cvF6roPvcFIuqlMpZRgkXrJAAz8nt75dEJRsKALrNwhQLntTDd2gUWddyc_aZPewrRALZwPmDIHd6ajxULjeah4o5WYEMPUIMSTIKRjQ6ChHy_70/s640/028650CA-9E09-43FE-8E0D-4ADB4B0331EB.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ticket was encased in a clear plastic sleeve to preserve it in case of rain.</td></tr>
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By the time we returned to our rental car—after rejecting the smelly apartment he offered us—our windshield had been decorated with a parking ticket. We soon realized that the guy who was sitting in a chair next to the car was the stool pigeon who had notified authorities. Our ignorance of local parking regulations was no defense, of course. After moving the car to the garage at the Marriott where we had checked in, we decided to avoid the crazy city traffic and walk the mile to the office where we needed to pay our fine. Much to our surprise, the $18 fine was reduced to $4 because we had shown up so promptly to settle our debt and repent for our misdeed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYiFBr6K0KJz33aOcAbdERBQ5v6KLZrK8a_ba9GTSydglEjIzLjEvq8HjYbwVVq2sKCjDIoA80za6947VAcPC_Ffo8obeFsjh1C5Hm32XjbPKVGq1L2np-TwaQONP8psioq9lzEYkuuQ/s1600/4069B4DD-5ADF-4FCD-9245-4E28A1DC674C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYiFBr6K0KJz33aOcAbdERBQ5v6KLZrK8a_ba9GTSydglEjIzLjEvq8HjYbwVVq2sKCjDIoA80za6947VAcPC_Ffo8obeFsjh1C5Hm32XjbPKVGq1L2np-TwaQONP8psioq9lzEYkuuQ/s640/4069B4DD-5ADF-4FCD-9245-4E28A1DC674C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of St. Clement of Ohrid</td></tr>
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Though the three-dome church was not a great meeting place, we were intrigued with its design. Construction on the rotunda style building, composed only of domes and arches, was begun in 1974, with the building consecrated in 1990. It became the center of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, which declared its independence from the Serbian Orthodox religion in 1965.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadTYQ8kx7fwvY6dNOV6YzeRs9VC-FvYqk16-yoco39COUJdyU6hRwFgHD9J0ABW-v29_eofbxrAOWA7LOl5pEGmcvXfqdiR7na7tlsi9s8bYgtdINjMCaYLfApfu7IyAAtosl0Z3ht4I/s1600/517E4D38-5037-4E4D-8B55-94C0FA14C45B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgadTYQ8kx7fwvY6dNOV6YzeRs9VC-FvYqk16-yoco39COUJdyU6hRwFgHD9J0ABW-v29_eofbxrAOWA7LOl5pEGmcvXfqdiR7na7tlsi9s8bYgtdINjMCaYLfApfu7IyAAtosl0Z3ht4I/s640/517E4D38-5037-4E4D-8B55-94C0FA14C45B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Clement interior</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Skopje's best known religious figure was born in the city in 1910 and lived there until 1918, when she left Macedonia to serve the Roman Catholic Church. In that role, she later became known around the world as Mother Teresa. At the place where she was born, the Memorial House of Mother Teresa was opened in 2008. Conceived as a modern transformation of the house where she lived her formative years, the building houses a museum about the life and work of this beloved native daughter. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM038t2iK_eAXHE3mXbHZyA8YOt8KlnLQEI18wVeglkQa7-u87rPcdVnZA0IGYZvacbstXslqxcEjOp93gOXIISpyDVjsKa_r4Dk29TWN4M2E9dz77pVHclXRFQY4bbOy0VEsXUtDJhRY/s1600/9190C630-57FE-410D-AD23-10E809A1FA57.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM038t2iK_eAXHE3mXbHZyA8YOt8KlnLQEI18wVeglkQa7-u87rPcdVnZA0IGYZvacbstXslqxcEjOp93gOXIISpyDVjsKa_r4Dk29TWN4M2E9dz77pVHclXRFQY4bbOy0VEsXUtDJhRY/s640/9190C630-57FE-410D-AD23-10E809A1FA57.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial House of Mother Teresa</td></tr>
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When she was a child, it's likely that Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu visited the shops of Skopje's Old Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest market places in the Balkans. The city's center for trade and commerce since the 12th century, the bazaar today is home to hundreds of shops and stalls selling all manner of goods.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IZ5MZvvHnhyphenhyphenK5MD1Sp0sAHhceKt22cPPiR_SkHjzUZ9UjwrX8mHKhoLCciVQqVjnv0_vZXUk9nXPQ6KM-jLHQZNBxV9A6AOEGsHqiWXp4ImmoMQfrI_iCpcLEbT_5MY0DpqODvnUyqA/s1600/8209BDAC-7836-4681-BAEC-1A3059D1B8FA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IZ5MZvvHnhyphenhyphenK5MD1Sp0sAHhceKt22cPPiR_SkHjzUZ9UjwrX8mHKhoLCciVQqVjnv0_vZXUk9nXPQ6KM-jLHQZNBxV9A6AOEGsHqiWXp4ImmoMQfrI_iCpcLEbT_5MY0DpqODvnUyqA/s640/8209BDAC-7836-4681-BAEC-1A3059D1B8FA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFEquFVRZyONdsYLPgDBwfAhcWt30gGBaXYoiDkWHx3nPPU1kPVqlXk9Wcv4OVvFf9jEYjslzfHnyhul25GIqcK0kFDL9-3_rTvKy97B8NyPsYZUC4sFi6yGXLKNCwjjGz4e0xXj5GNY/s1600/44AEE476-E76E-4118-8F6D-9B791A0371B6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFEquFVRZyONdsYLPgDBwfAhcWt30gGBaXYoiDkWHx3nPPU1kPVqlXk9Wcv4OVvFf9jEYjslzfHnyhul25GIqcK0kFDL9-3_rTvKy97B8NyPsYZUC4sFi6yGXLKNCwjjGz4e0xXj5GNY/s640/44AEE476-E76E-4118-8F6D-9B791A0371B6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-ow_H05n3DsCpGLrQPRTBtXLkadzmb6L22KS4dW6-1U77q7dauLmfeOri8mP1GSIA3XtuVlQf8ObefCV5NbPTnWL0xF0cBhtG440WDOv87K9rjdvfTO0yk8wI2EJg0oaoyRfcj-xTng/s1600/C283B21A-8054-4EB0-ABB5-86724D077BC9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-ow_H05n3DsCpGLrQPRTBtXLkadzmb6L22KS4dW6-1U77q7dauLmfeOri8mP1GSIA3XtuVlQf8ObefCV5NbPTnWL0xF0cBhtG440WDOv87K9rjdvfTO0yk8wI2EJg0oaoyRfcj-xTng/s640/C283B21A-8054-4EB0-ABB5-86724D077BC9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
As we've often seen in such markets, most shops concentrate on one type of merchandise and are grouped with other stores selling the same products. Scores of adjacent storefronts offer a dizzying array of shoes, with every possible style on prominent display. Based on a cursory examination of the quality of the wares, the authenticity of their mainstream brand labels seemed questionable. On a Tuesday morning, as we walked through, the market was jammed with customers of all ages.<br />
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<b>And Beyond Skopje</b><br />
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On our last day in Skopje, we decided to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and its faux architecture and drove ten miles southwest of the city to Matka Canyon, one of Macedonia's most popular outdoor destinations. The Treska River, which created and flows through the canyon, was dammed in the 1930s in the creation of the country's first hydroelectric plant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpE0pyHZVytekpUvwu3YENDRKDqBAuDGR0u5200CrHeBrjwSZM97k05uDSbqLnWZyKEyNU7chOGizTZP-6knrNKfLHqJD_tH1y-GfDIIX-AzNMUhMuLdeZlMuim_4Z2MvZns2mLn2yq5g/s1600/29374FC6-12B2-41FF-8073-43EDD7F6E554.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpE0pyHZVytekpUvwu3YENDRKDqBAuDGR0u5200CrHeBrjwSZM97k05uDSbqLnWZyKEyNU7chOGizTZP-6knrNKfLHqJD_tH1y-GfDIIX-AzNMUhMuLdeZlMuim_4Z2MvZns2mLn2yq5g/s640/29374FC6-12B2-41FF-8073-43EDD7F6E554.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
A historical exhibit at the plant relates its history, as well as a brief history of humans' harnessing and use of electricity. Quotes are featured by prominent scientists in the field, such as Faraday, Edison, Tesla and Morse. What a delightful surprise to see Ray Charles (yes, the American R&B singer) amidst this group with his own quote: "What is a soul? It's like electricity—we don't really know what it is, but it's a force that can light a room."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULL27WTC0O0X4lOce6PCokuWEMKhYs6kicEoRwAmuMxopyhgZtPSt-BdHfxYs-bBJ1nyriys3aCjaHGU1AZxuINrwR5oV8Mvzcb4Q_DTzljsvLwqjr8f7A4WcBAUK5y_IeZG6R8wwSKI/s1600/46F67721-5AA3-46A2-BEBB-06DFA54DDFB2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULL27WTC0O0X4lOce6PCokuWEMKhYs6kicEoRwAmuMxopyhgZtPSt-BdHfxYs-bBJ1nyriys3aCjaHGU1AZxuINrwR5oV8Mvzcb4Q_DTzljsvLwqjr8f7A4WcBAUK5y_IeZG6R8wwSKI/s640/46F67721-5AA3-46A2-BEBB-06DFA54DDFB2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matka Canyon 'village'</td></tr>
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A well-maintained stone path leads from the power plant, beyond the dam, along one of the canyon walls to a tiny 'village' along the shore of Matka Lake. There are the expected boat and kayak rental services and restaurants serving the needs of those who wander further into the canyon as well as the day trippers whose venture stops there. <br />
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At the heart of the commercial area sits the Church of St. Andrew, a fixture in the canyon since 1389. Inside are frescoes dating from mid 1500s when the church served a monastery dedicated to the apostle Andrew.<br />
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Our day trip to the canyon was a welcome relief from Skopje's excesses. We returned to the city to pack up and prepare for our drive tomorrow to Kosovo, the final country in the Balkan part of this adventure.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">MONDAY, 14 MAY — WEDNESDAY, 16 MAY, 2018</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Three-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Bitola, Macedonia<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Skopje, Macedonia<br />
• <b>Miles driven: </b>170<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 19.13<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 47° to 75°, rain, sunny, partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Mother Teresa signs in Skopje:</b> 73<br />
• <b>Statues in Skopje:</b> 135<br />
• <b>Oversized flags:</b> 12<br />
• <b>Pedestrian bridges:</b> 6<br />
• <b>Beggars on streets: </b>142<br />
• <b>Beggars carrying children:</b> 39<br />
• <b>Solo Child Beggars: </b>14<br />
• <b>Quote of the Day:</b> (Ken on what he would do in an average-sized US car when meeting a tour bus on a narrow Macedonian road): "I would get out of the car and run!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Loved:</b> Before we learned of the story behind the Skopje 2014 "landmarks," we actually thought the kitschiness of the city was pretty fun. A bit like Vegas in the Balkans.<br />
<b><br />
Lacking: </b>Litter control. The parts of Macedonia we visited have had the worst litter problem of any place we've seen on this trip. From the main glorious square with all its statues and fountains and lights, a few steps around a corner leads to an area whose main feature is its excess of unmitigated litter.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> Without exception, in every Balkan country we have visited, we have heard from locals their grave concerns about the pervasiveness of fraud and corruption which seem to run rampant in each country's government. </div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Skopje</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1v-6x-qH2L7uA0mV3PCS2YCYzd62_ubZXyjfIwhRXTyfJJaOhGR39ZJpbeIiWVq0T2srET1ib9BHshPmQos-D3AioEeOQSpzz4-DXVGh0Ujcr639EMWVRZIc3D4S6HZe04JFc4YLpnIk/s1600/36BFFF05-33A1-470B-A410-6363D449C8C7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1v-6x-qH2L7uA0mV3PCS2YCYzd62_ubZXyjfIwhRXTyfJJaOhGR39ZJpbeIiWVq0T2srET1ib9BHshPmQos-D3AioEeOQSpzz4-DXVGh0Ujcr639EMWVRZIc3D4S6HZe04JFc4YLpnIk/s640/36BFFF05-33A1-470B-A410-6363D449C8C7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stone Bridge and the Museum of Archaeology</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuIR5kglGMexD3zggeNBwAecGA21Ors770NsxC1ihVaUKIzFbggDSWkpEpXKyFocgl_F11Ux5C7W6N6JcfU0yIvKSRx5ocrF2OfgIoGAwESzdlpEn4IIucaJeTKEOk_EqcgwiI-BmSAE/s1600/A34F009F-D9CF-43D4-845A-9A3B846D17EA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1201" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuIR5kglGMexD3zggeNBwAecGA21Ors770NsxC1ihVaUKIzFbggDSWkpEpXKyFocgl_F11Ux5C7W6N6JcfU0yIvKSRx5ocrF2OfgIoGAwESzdlpEn4IIucaJeTKEOk_EqcgwiI-BmSAE/s640/A34F009F-D9CF-43D4-845A-9A3B846D17EA.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant lions guard a bridge over the river.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrQuU-6iEOY9lkJezNY_U3gxdtYyVj3mOIcAjuM6pDUHd-fDVQH8uCO_Zq4QrjSerKVJQY7PQKYivyPmkWhfRIkxmB2UO97CoUbjP1CiCS4dd3zipmQeeP2VCxo7RQ43-WblQlOgI58Q/s1600/10D82C12-CA8C-4AAF-BB98-3582491A717D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1095" data-original-width="1600" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrQuU-6iEOY9lkJezNY_U3gxdtYyVj3mOIcAjuM6pDUHd-fDVQH8uCO_Zq4QrjSerKVJQY7PQKYivyPmkWhfRIkxmB2UO97CoUbjP1CiCS4dd3zipmQeeP2VCxo7RQ43-WblQlOgI58Q/s640/10D82C12-CA8C-4AAF-BB98-3582491A717D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With all this fake antiquity, a horse and carriage ride couldn't be far behind, though we saw only one. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlw2TMCyOqWPHW9hwMkoEChEmJnvefkUzdEz19BJQCUq4pfsMPrDqQC7xRuLm7222dU0-o_tuNpx32kEzjV1Sd0iYGOum48UFpheD0DAgVu9_Qu6wivauM1whoPDI2G1VyJneBGrnDZc/s1600/F4B1D051-187F-448D-9D75-10665728FB4B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlw2TMCyOqWPHW9hwMkoEChEmJnvefkUzdEz19BJQCUq4pfsMPrDqQC7xRuLm7222dU0-o_tuNpx32kEzjV1Sd0iYGOum48UFpheD0DAgVu9_Qu6wivauM1whoPDI2G1VyJneBGrnDZc/s640/F4B1D051-187F-448D-9D75-10665728FB4B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All aboard! cried the local ticks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvHQFsvp_2ZzahlsXU1f46S-yeGXvUek5L5Bw84QB7_3FS4kYenaa89WxPwVHsroExr-dEgyVp5Cis7SASsaa3BaI9HuSRgNx15PaI7McAWU7bcYt3zmK-UY5yzOCYeLl9CZXXUCKU4c/s1600/8D084A69-140C-45BF-B520-A79BC4018DDF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZvHQFsvp_2ZzahlsXU1f46S-yeGXvUek5L5Bw84QB7_3FS4kYenaa89WxPwVHsroExr-dEgyVp5Cis7SASsaa3BaI9HuSRgNx15PaI7McAWU7bcYt3zmK-UY5yzOCYeLl9CZXXUCKU4c/s640/8D084A69-140C-45BF-B520-A79BC4018DDF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the few spots in the fortress not overgrown.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJdJvE1YX_ZHzsIm4nZvqAJdlPuacRvo44CKSYCRIt_jmWgo2RYr9yJ0HSHpXwX6hkvE5mcxctGD4wD-Zy-9yQEKK-wceJjCed3M4KVdzH-fuWxICm0aOJM479HTOxOA8zW9L80DtLQ8/s1600/330DBCFC-F8BF-4797-BD99-A55BB296BC36.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJdJvE1YX_ZHzsIm4nZvqAJdlPuacRvo44CKSYCRIt_jmWgo2RYr9yJ0HSHpXwX6hkvE5mcxctGD4wD-Zy-9yQEKK-wceJjCed3M4KVdzH-fuWxICm0aOJM479HTOxOA8zW9L80DtLQ8/s640/330DBCFC-F8BF-4797-BD99-A55BB296BC36.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the canyon village, I finally learned to use a squat toilet. </td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comSkopje, Macedonia (FYROM)41.9973462 21.42799560000003141.8085412 21.105272100000033 42.186151200000005 21.75071910000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-29042868659513696682018-05-13T16:13:00.004-04:002018-05-15T15:03:24.446-04:00It's Greek to Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 23: IN WHICH WE WITNESS THE PAST MEETING THE PRESENT<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 48-49: Ohrid, Macedonia to Bitola, Macedonia.</strong> Departing Ohrid on Saturday, we couldn't resist the opportunity to drive along the eastern shore of the lake to National Park Galicica, which straddles Mount Galicica (7,395 ft) between Lakes Ohrid and Prespa. A well-maintained road takes visitors almost to the mountain's summit before descending down the other side to Lake Prespa. Along the scenic drive, views of the lake and towns along its coast are spectacular.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy3zglP3g9bs4tD3j_o4vjizfe6qvYOn_Q4a02N66fr_PWadCX5VAm7WCLgvVxq2BPWbOP7LAqlFAZ9L6raZpJReYZAKVE_ZOFFyGb9NP8Ngjntq2tbl0god2DR360bUbctq3a_9x5WU/s1600/D44F1237-E323-48C6-BF5C-26E8DD7F788E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy3zglP3g9bs4tD3j_o4vjizfe6qvYOn_Q4a02N66fr_PWadCX5VAm7WCLgvVxq2BPWbOP7LAqlFAZ9L6raZpJReYZAKVE_ZOFFyGb9NP8Ngjntq2tbl0god2DR360bUbctq3a_9x5WU/s640/D44F1237-E323-48C6-BF5C-26E8DD7F788E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Ohrid from scenic overlook in Galicica Park</td></tr>
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Our destination for the next couple of days was Bitola <i>(pop. 75,000)</i>, Macedonia's second largest city and one of its oldest. Founded by Philip II (AlexTheGreat's dad) in the fourth century BC as Heraclea Lyncestis, Bitola today sits ten miles north of Macedonia's border with Greece—that part of Greece that's also known as Macedonia.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif15GJVAlMsR0lCQGPHB_t7jVhHGW3Y_YWeP4oa2ckeU-uZI6X3RhgoYWrOD7Sr_jaZ4C4hQBz2cZByGU7e8hzuw46GqimXPzuHlsXFbr3q6ox2sluuGGsp2LO55ZrHxJ-Sf_yI-w0Pr4/s1600/05CC0580-8D0E-4A6E-9EA2-2129121665FD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif15GJVAlMsR0lCQGPHB_t7jVhHGW3Y_YWeP4oa2ckeU-uZI6X3RhgoYWrOD7Sr_jaZ4C4hQBz2cZByGU7e8hzuw46GqimXPzuHlsXFbr3q6ox2sluuGGsp2LO55ZrHxJ-Sf_yI-w0Pr4/s640/05CC0580-8D0E-4A6E-9EA2-2129121665FD.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Roman theater at Heraclea Lyncestis</td></tr>
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Macedon was conquered by Rome in the 2nd century BC, which took over governance of the town. To accommodate the Roman sport of gladiator fighting, the Roman emperor Hadrian had a theater built on a hill in Heraclea. Its use was discontinued in the fourth century after Rome was Christianized, and it was buried and forgotten after an earthquake in the 6th century AD and Slavic invasions led to the abandonment of the city. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllbe5XMskDIAjqh8_cLPoJakcqTlmkEPAxsywpAw5hPcgsh32ZCP9QCVm9XktKFOTLc3eset9oL5Yk_dWttlSD8UIHgvwzC9T5W1-2G_EMxBHHJ8wndMvUrcC2ecdLDdVcmTz-1Fcv6A/s1600/44367232-AFF2-4CBA-B3F5-6B8AF1D8342B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllbe5XMskDIAjqh8_cLPoJakcqTlmkEPAxsywpAw5hPcgsh32ZCP9QCVm9XktKFOTLc3eset9oL5Yk_dWttlSD8UIHgvwzC9T5W1-2G_EMxBHHJ8wndMvUrcC2ecdLDdVcmTz-1Fcv6A/s640/44367232-AFF2-4CBA-B3F5-6B8AF1D8342B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small basilica at Heraclea</td></tr>
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Many centuries later some ruins of the city were uncovered during a building project, and an archeological dig began in the 1930s. The first indication that there had been a theater came with the discovery of a 14th row admission ticket carved on a small piece of bone. With interruptions in the dig caused by the numerous conflicts in this war-torn area, it was 1968 before the 20-row theater was completely unearthed on a hill in what had been the center of the ancient town. In addition to seating for hundreds, scientists uncovered a tunnel and cages for animals built below the rows for spectators.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4fB2PURE584Qt8QHplDNzvl54fswBuD6M7MgjnjRirXIF6oKOAh2gpPiuW1cMytVwPndXLFp-Lcsm8lMb8fbdYRJDcHV4h1L6dAZij2SNmqTAOZNyqRC0uraHusT_Ea0Q_Ec2Eg4UGs/s1600/B8604482-95E3-49D0-8F00-A844CDD705E3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4fB2PURE584Qt8QHplDNzvl54fswBuD6M7MgjnjRirXIF6oKOAh2gpPiuW1cMytVwPndXLFp-Lcsm8lMb8fbdYRJDcHV4h1L6dAZij2SNmqTAOZNyqRC0uraHusT_Ea0Q_Ec2Eg4UGs/s640/B8604482-95E3-49D0-8F00-A844CDD705E3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Širok Sokak Street</td></tr>
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When we arrived in Bitola around noon on Saturday and asked for a recommendation for lunch, the friendly reception agent at our small hotel warned us that the city is always bustling on Saturdays, especially Širok Sokak Street (Wide Street). Lined with shops and restaurants, this pedestrian thoroughfare is obviously the place to see and be seen. People crammed into the sidewalk cafes all had their chairs facing the street, so as not to miss any action on the promenade.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1xAv_7gi5yvWkhX_QEQgQ2d9tg2Ty87IEKTpuf42O5pKKpmeBCqdKX7puwHDzOPjdUtYkdvbuQnaKUUOp4zlec0xwmTSHrgmmWfPb78wGTO4kj-NegqPFFc8JWLemVrZMCU7WJW-YOI/s1600/53022279-3234-47EC-A7C4-A3AA274B2347.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1xAv_7gi5yvWkhX_QEQgQ2d9tg2Ty87IEKTpuf42O5pKKpmeBCqdKX7puwHDzOPjdUtYkdvbuQnaKUUOp4zlec0xwmTSHrgmmWfPb78wGTO4kj-NegqPFFc8JWLemVrZMCU7WJW-YOI/s640/53022279-3234-47EC-A7C4-A3AA274B2347.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Philip II reigns (and reins?) over Magnolia Square.</td></tr>
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After lunch, we strolled the mile-long avenue from the City Park on the south end to Magnolia Square on the north. Wandering over to the nearby Yeni Cami (New Mosque), we sat at a bench outside pondering whether we should try to enter. The doors were closed, and our limited understanding of the protocol and customs for non-Muslims visiting had us puzzled. A gentleman walked past where we were sitting, and I smiled at him. He walked past, and then—obviously reading the situation and our dilemma—he motioned for us to follow him. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhH10fM2v9c9Z5Cfa0vRvmG968bHWLI9P_9R0U7XygIM4fO3_E1497bzOx-wNgK2KflN9Aib86DsbkjdncaP2nFLqJESO9dlLr5LhAD7t4Wfl6atm-b5GvT7Tp3MENzn3Q4WcB4Y2s_A/s1600/F47A8D7F-1FED-40F5-BD8D-63FF09F59AF7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhH10fM2v9c9Z5Cfa0vRvmG968bHWLI9P_9R0U7XygIM4fO3_E1497bzOx-wNgK2KflN9Aib86DsbkjdncaP2nFLqJESO9dlLr5LhAD7t4Wfl6atm-b5GvT7Tp3MENzn3Q4WcB4Y2s_A/s640/F47A8D7F-1FED-40F5-BD8D-63FF09F59AF7.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeni Mosque</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBptEFW7Yww5chufH8CAsugnb23j3t8DSgigAumeaJaUmAlKesGNWkx79i7dMrAazBUSToIQjy0e2HmcDFyjUONaoO5X3K68olR1i9SMJSM2ZKamySsbOjsyKYNtq7CHJwf2DpyUGPplE/s1600/04D8D0DF-94DA-47B5-97FC-1ECEB8D85BC9.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBptEFW7Yww5chufH8CAsugnb23j3t8DSgigAumeaJaUmAlKesGNWkx79i7dMrAazBUSToIQjy0e2HmcDFyjUONaoO5X3K68olR1i9SMJSM2ZKamySsbOjsyKYNtq7CHJwf2DpyUGPplE/s640/04D8D0DF-94DA-47B5-97FC-1ECEB8D85BC9.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
Though he spoke only a few words of English and we spoke neither of his languages—Macedonian and Italian—we were able to communicate enough for him to invite us into the mosque and tell us that it was built during the Ottoman period, completed in 1558. In recent years, he indicated, the exquisite interior has been restored with the financial support of the Turkish government.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUCAEde-GRwSwQ-OWK297YrZpROZ0FZCpOzZDkyx0Ly43qJujuOx0I6ZjojYfOIkORoFHpLmqfcIcQlw94q5OxgC_teuhE5R8Oh0U_i3WecD1dJUkil1VwETFWCFKFmzCremIRyodLtg/s1600/6D6B43DE-4B5F-4811-8CC5-6E5F1678D452.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUCAEde-GRwSwQ-OWK297YrZpROZ0FZCpOzZDkyx0Ly43qJujuOx0I6ZjojYfOIkORoFHpLmqfcIcQlw94q5OxgC_teuhE5R8Oh0U_i3WecD1dJUkil1VwETFWCFKFmzCremIRyodLtg/s640/6D6B43DE-4B5F-4811-8CC5-6E5F1678D452.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Funeral notices</td></tr>
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As we wandered around Bitola, we couldn't help noticing light posts, building columns, trees and other surfaces plastered with signs bearing text and a photo of a person. The format was almost similar to the old "Wanted" posters, except for the floral border decorated with a cross. Our attempts to translate with Google's help were stymied by the script style font. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP-ZtTQs7SzV448WbDMXD9N30Vfo-QjMO4czOfiUY-CseBXFHnzbZMLSZYLrvKESPbVmktUzd4pGVWxFnz36FdTGsQrMmdTEhYaY3hhwHdHsF0cnfSSPYCnyVYXl46zy-AO6-v3f4TTk/s1600/5F0023B3-023E-4C62-900E-A1674FD2349C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP-ZtTQs7SzV448WbDMXD9N30Vfo-QjMO4czOfiUY-CseBXFHnzbZMLSZYLrvKESPbVmktUzd4pGVWxFnz36FdTGsQrMmdTEhYaY3hhwHdHsF0cnfSSPYCnyVYXl46zy-AO6-v3f4TTk/s640/5F0023B3-023E-4C62-900E-A1674FD2349C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Later our helpful innkeeper explained that these are death notices posted in the neighborhood where the deceased had lived. The wording is quite similar to what is published in newspaper obituaries in the U.S., including information about funeral arrangements.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0d13-CarvBTIa2OqivlGbcVV-ABGbrjG2L-NMtee6RKgL7BJCG1T0J3zjqYHSQI0lSNrOYpPDPOYH9ddgFfhyphenhyphenKJU5qGQitvxUYmLAGc0VDPZ1XdUOKEexI5NA7gyIGvnsrZiVnoIgEUc/s1600/F4709776-227D-40C5-857E-D3EECE09597F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0d13-CarvBTIa2OqivlGbcVV-ABGbrjG2L-NMtee6RKgL7BJCG1T0J3zjqYHSQI0lSNrOYpPDPOYH9ddgFfhyphenhyphenKJU5qGQitvxUYmLAGc0VDPZ1XdUOKEexI5NA7gyIGvnsrZiVnoIgEUc/s640/F4709776-227D-40C5-857E-D3EECE09597F.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light up! No stigma here.</td></tr>
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As we have noted before, smoking in this region is much more widespread than in the U.S. and even in Western Europe. Every table at sidewalk cafes is equipped with at least one ashtray, and often tables inside have them, too. It's a bit like being back in the 1970s.<br />
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Even though we had decided to leave Greece for another trip, being so close to the border and having seen all we planned to in Bitola on Saturday convinced us to consider a day trip into northern Greece on Sunday. With the ongoing dispute between Greece and Macedonia, we were a bit uncertain about what to expect at the border, so we did a little Googling—just enough to reveal a couple of nightmare tales about people being detained at the border by both Greek and Macedonian authorities for such infractions as calling a Greek city by its Macedonian name or carrying two cameras across the border.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlricgzvcUD8sdjDvcxxT8gAAUhduRMnrQ5oVfw2NxdK6jfWAj5_xonSqPji1iZfopr9ZpU_HtUv7pC0vsPxtSeJAAdbaAkB-yax5c6ko_Ftwkdy8P_e2Ym3M0-pOdXDLbEeK5YstLPA/s1600/523276D6-AC48-4EB8-8276-15E1F9976984.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1242" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlricgzvcUD8sdjDvcxxT8gAAUhduRMnrQ5oVfw2NxdK6jfWAj5_xonSqPji1iZfopr9ZpU_HtUv7pC0vsPxtSeJAAdbaAkB-yax5c6ko_Ftwkdy8P_e2Ym3M0-pOdXDLbEeK5YstLPA/s400/523276D6-AC48-4EB8-8276-15E1F9976984.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where are they now?</td></tr>
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While conducting this research Saturday evening, the magic of a flight tracking app enabled us to follow the progress of our grandnieces (ages 21 and 19) on their first transatlantic flight. They hopped the pond for a study abroad summer program in Florence, Italy. We're looking forward to meeting them in Venice for a long weekend on our way back home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFotaA8GpsMImWrtzVNFqDJVm6c90Sf9eCsEZdhP4zJyxs82gbARaUAZD9XRV0JuF-71FD2d2jqSWNvyCs23BNC1yVXNgXUxRWJPhVLeJDEqP2AZSxA_xJEXPbI00cMdJdq_CEQuj4Hk/s1600/6F872BC3-7F56-4F20-8EFE-437B08BD09C1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFotaA8GpsMImWrtzVNFqDJVm6c90Sf9eCsEZdhP4zJyxs82gbARaUAZD9XRV0JuF-71FD2d2jqSWNvyCs23BNC1yVXNgXUxRWJPhVLeJDEqP2AZSxA_xJEXPbI00cMdJdq_CEQuj4Hk/s640/6F872BC3-7F56-4F20-8EFE-437B08BD09C1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The difference was evident at the border stations: Macedonia (top), Greece (bottom)</td></tr>
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Undeterred by the hyperbole we uncovered in our research, we pressed on with our plans to visit Greece, hoping for the best. As it turned out, we had nothing to fear. Border crossings for both countries were uneventful, coming and going. What struck us most, however, was the immediate stark contrast between Greece, a thoroughly Western European country—despite its location on the Balkan peninsula—and Macedonia, which had suffered under Communist rule for 50 years, until 1991.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveMNQJmaMLF6DHE24s66LsrLaDqlqea4_diFzhgDFZZGJWZVNzDI-bf-S4ODoX3Ii0xWQgOoW-7bnkYSGQlVW0odDr5jyYcXfylSzVT5fpmIklRRnEYoOXeSdlzzlHVGXKPePidJjF-8/s1600/3A7D67DA-3C5B-4E45-BF30-7134882B2A39.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveMNQJmaMLF6DHE24s66LsrLaDqlqea4_diFzhgDFZZGJWZVNzDI-bf-S4ODoX3Ii0xWQgOoW-7bnkYSGQlVW0odDr5jyYcXfylSzVT5fpmIklRRnEYoOXeSdlzzlHVGXKPePidJjF-8/s640/3A7D67DA-3C5B-4E45-BF30-7134882B2A39.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E-65 in Greece</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We followed E-65, a European transnational highway, from Macedonia into Greece. The difference in the quality of the road was stunning. As soon as we entered Greece, the road suddenly became a limited access, dual carriageway with exceptional maintenance and meticulous signage. We had not seen conditions like that in a long time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTraTDOll5zHZwInME9UFKAjrWmWcaF3p_Pkzo3gHiqmBUZo6vMwoX9UUd81Ct7ANhyPy-wXlUd9eNPrKNd14PbG3vtytF-M3jM7885qq6-0ka3Joi1iA0YMuSvkvXjkuJM7dOxOfjIT4/s1600/F4BADA53-063A-4F07-90F5-2C05C1E2C797.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTraTDOll5zHZwInME9UFKAjrWmWcaF3p_Pkzo3gHiqmBUZo6vMwoX9UUd81Ct7ANhyPy-wXlUd9eNPrKNd14PbG3vtytF-M3jM7885qq6-0ka3Joi1iA0YMuSvkvXjkuJM7dOxOfjIT4/s640/F4BADA53-063A-4F07-90F5-2C05C1E2C797.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a secondary road to the lake shore </td></tr>
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Unrelated to the improved roads, we found that there was "something" indescribable in the quality of the light of northern Greece that made the scenery—for lack of a better word, just pop. Whether it was atmospheric conditions or the influence of all those Greek gods, we cannot say, but the colors appeared more saturated, the light more glowing than most places, even those just across the border.<br />
<br />
With no specific destination in mind, we meandered through the town of Florina and aimed our GPS at the shores of Lake Prespa, hoping to find something scenic. As we approached the tiny village of Mikrolimni <i>(pop. 72) </i>on a narrow local road, we chanced upon an interesting Greek character, Mr. Santos, hobbling along the road with the aid of his cane.<br />
<br />
He waved us down, and when we stopped, he asked us in Greek if we could give him a ride into town. We somehow understood what he needed and opened the door to the back seat. He climbed in and off we went. Later at a charming taverna on the lakeshore, we learned Mr. Santos' story from the restaurant owner's son-in-law.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiB0Lgmf5qr0fWR9euTHq0pNeuLAOooE23FHL5g1zpVTIqEElv2EUpWnTA5QzyNOCFgyoqoXVzHQyFe3Mb4K2YO212rwpYj0dnPfUHjqqE49vy1mYdgf5hvGxpEW9Ctdd8oye3InKIPFs/s1600/4EE2886D-7715-48BA-888B-2B8683D0ADB4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiB0Lgmf5qr0fWR9euTHq0pNeuLAOooE23FHL5g1zpVTIqEElv2EUpWnTA5QzyNOCFgyoqoXVzHQyFe3Mb4K2YO212rwpYj0dnPfUHjqqE49vy1mYdgf5hvGxpEW9Ctdd8oye3InKIPFs/s640/4EE2886D-7715-48BA-888B-2B8683D0ADB4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
He is currently 88 years old. During the Greek Civil War in the 1940s, Mr. Santos allied himself with the Communist partisans. While he was off in Yugoslavia for training, the Mikrolimni area was retaken by Greek government forces, making it unsafe for Mr. Santos to return to his village. Subsequently, he lived for many years in Czechoslovakia and then the Soviet Union before finally being allowed to return to his home town in the 1980s. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFQHOMWphYxz1c1EObj0NFJ_BeaeM4Jq8avtPd6D_tGPsD__UJyOpqEz2T2N5GQog1v-WDUk9byes1VR07qqhefD_t1bJ8ktossWFtiGM2LS0eSrZDi64E82fQ_QU_AG4zSujpQoLK7o/s1600/532409C9-A2D7-43DC-9672-98FC26AAE29B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFQHOMWphYxz1c1EObj0NFJ_BeaeM4Jq8avtPd6D_tGPsD__UJyOpqEz2T2N5GQog1v-WDUk9byes1VR07qqhefD_t1bJ8ktossWFtiGM2LS0eSrZDi64E82fQ_QU_AG4zSujpQoLK7o/s640/532409C9-A2D7-43DC-9672-98FC26AAE29B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
We enjoyed a lovely lunch of local dishes at the lakefront and wandered the area taking photos and enjoying the view before dragging ourselves away to return to Macedonia.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwiMcAkGGfSdMh4gUjc7GH4xSd6PWKSckVD1NBdBgz3QgOkjyfTBtTl95Sx__FIX131UpoR4AMnlaMFoPSDV3jUSlug5rYLs6pUkTZYVe1xznDyBd-tav_J6EWKoddh79TG5cykLbudk/s1600/9C2223AE-D112-4E02-B7D3-FCFBA44D2E47.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCwiMcAkGGfSdMh4gUjc7GH4xSd6PWKSckVD1NBdBgz3QgOkjyfTBtTl95Sx__FIX131UpoR4AMnlaMFoPSDV3jUSlug5rYLs6pUkTZYVe1xznDyBd-tav_J6EWKoddh79TG5cykLbudk/s640/9C2223AE-D112-4E02-B7D3-FCFBA44D2E47.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTifaC-7r4FGEna1xqKIT39oYLGK944-_0NtYHnSXEEWsp9o41HVnUq3jG5fmA4HdqGYk_hROqb9t3AUS10yTiJVIeBJMeXMe5ClBUHYhUp9yDJGEiQxkSHVWHTsR8u3gfHU99JPwTtlc/s1600/1A511384-F9BA-46E2-B011-608CB91B265C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTifaC-7r4FGEna1xqKIT39oYLGK944-_0NtYHnSXEEWsp9o41HVnUq3jG5fmA4HdqGYk_hROqb9t3AUS10yTiJVIeBJMeXMe5ClBUHYhUp9yDJGEiQxkSHVWHTsR8u3gfHU99JPwTtlc/s640/1A511384-F9BA-46E2-B011-608CB91B265C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviHmH433GNFqcOn9i0iCEsVRmTek1BZboHrxSSBVPDn2D0-TTLIR6vuRPMOXXcjSasmSo-Ncih4ZV5dNbCytTGmbqK9A_AVy7BzI0XzHT6T3T8s1_mZlfoxaXYzM4HndeW2U90Fu20ZM/s1600/75C85C35-1228-4FB5-ADF3-C02CAB21B7A9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviHmH433GNFqcOn9i0iCEsVRmTek1BZboHrxSSBVPDn2D0-TTLIR6vuRPMOXXcjSasmSo-Ncih4ZV5dNbCytTGmbqK9A_AVy7BzI0XzHT6T3T8s1_mZlfoxaXYzM4HndeW2U90Fu20ZM/s640/75C85C35-1228-4FB5-ADF3-C02CAB21B7A9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Tomorrow we'll drive to the Macedonian capital city, Skopje. From all we've read, it should be a highlight of the trip.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">SATURDAY, 12 MAY & SUNDAY, 13 MAY, 2018</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Two-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Ohrid, Macedonia<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Bitola, Macedonia<br />
• <b>Miles driven: </b>186<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 12.23<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 49° to 73°, rain, sunny, partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Swallow nests:</b> 87<br />
• <b>Curves in the road:</b> 324<br />
• <b>Incredible views of the lake:</b> 217<br />
• <b>Ashtrays in sidewalk cafes:</b> 4,839<br />
• <b>Letterboxes planted:</b> 2<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Loved:</b> The relief of four uneventful border crossings<br />
<b><br />
Lacking: </b>More time to spend in Greece. But we'll get back there soon.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> As if we needed it, we were reminded again–when seeing the direct contrast between Macedonia and Greece–of the struggles former Communist countries are still enduring in an attempt to catch up with the progress made elsewhere while they were oppressed.</div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxwzZ41piDtU4dwDSGHnyXnf39o9DXj8G6_IiLGD-UCh74AizVrr-KvNCMil2K82mZEb0GBQ2BpN-MmjRyKbUCgEgVSg9PhNO0q2jfF36S_tsveuESafxR9KT-P-LgkKyMXWJUi1yViQ/s1600/F3A84D35-468F-4AF0-97A0-736BB4481EDB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxwzZ41piDtU4dwDSGHnyXnf39o9DXj8G6_IiLGD-UCh74AizVrr-KvNCMil2K82mZEb0GBQ2BpN-MmjRyKbUCgEgVSg9PhNO0q2jfF36S_tsveuESafxR9KT-P-LgkKyMXWJUi1yViQ/s640/F3A84D35-468F-4AF0-97A0-736BB4481EDB.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swallows return to St. Naum on the lake because their mud nests attached to building eaves are tolerated at the monastery.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSZzzIosL1q7TOKPhWklV3y4mrvEB-iThY6bsgBv2Ygz0W8KrIhrrsvzhYtAKX9aKPnOjdktoMVOt9UkkqCC0pjO68zORFHsVaUy6fAAOXtPN-hmbkjnNUXoyo2E1sXaFsQ1jbTtqT1M/s1600/3BC25954-FFD8-4B35-BF2D-3CCC32BDC96F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSZzzIosL1q7TOKPhWklV3y4mrvEB-iThY6bsgBv2Ygz0W8KrIhrrsvzhYtAKX9aKPnOjdktoMVOt9UkkqCC0pjO68zORFHsVaUy6fAAOXtPN-hmbkjnNUXoyo2E1sXaFsQ1jbTtqT1M/s640/3BC25954-FFD8-4B35-BF2D-3CCC32BDC96F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our drive up to the summit of Mount Galicica in Macedonia's National Park Galicica</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFKy7EOMohcYlCfjKNM-VK3DpTyRUXCh7ZJEORE37tKwJ2cnbWelHp92XVLQ-6_16zNgtk64O6BvfnkrhL17tsvxsHaQnyKvWJvd7ONE_DSE6VWdmGwhDdZbSqnddH0Xiep1N2iEKAcY/s1600/385E168B-1D39-484A-8AC3-7978C4E9845F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFKy7EOMohcYlCfjKNM-VK3DpTyRUXCh7ZJEORE37tKwJ2cnbWelHp92XVLQ-6_16zNgtk64O6BvfnkrhL17tsvxsHaQnyKvWJvd7ONE_DSE6VWdmGwhDdZbSqnddH0Xiep1N2iEKAcY/s640/385E168B-1D39-484A-8AC3-7978C4E9845F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remains of a courthouse at Heraclea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZrZDYjDBLUY7IkmIlWU7E9bbXoB71-GlF7Cn5oR7F2knTGcMuEmXJ__QGUuwH3hs_ILZBGSfhxqo27-2i6rUNebVQ-wvypnL-lO58qT0S42gr6n-c7E7t8GutktuCtVE7kTf_C2B2vc/s1600/0888C06C-0B8D-4390-AF1B-08BF389D31EF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1449" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZrZDYjDBLUY7IkmIlWU7E9bbXoB71-GlF7Cn5oR7F2knTGcMuEmXJ__QGUuwH3hs_ILZBGSfhxqo27-2i6rUNebVQ-wvypnL-lO58qT0S42gr6n-c7E7t8GutktuCtVE7kTf_C2B2vc/s640/0888C06C-0B8D-4390-AF1B-08BF389D31EF.jpeg" width="578" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floor mosaics set two thousand years ago retain their detail and color.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEWX0qVG8KaJXo5zHX78TaMUvHsYxLk8JHcbE7KdmOAEbKz20IzvUoa1PDgbuY3T1QnClG98SLGIDkULR9bSH3_zodJr0ULyfrNGwhQs5kGkGS8nbcguuv6qxhnMY7eMV-Oeufc-elDw/s1600/394843D8-C435-489E-885F-3409FA29B0AF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEWX0qVG8KaJXo5zHX78TaMUvHsYxLk8JHcbE7KdmOAEbKz20IzvUoa1PDgbuY3T1QnClG98SLGIDkULR9bSH3_zodJr0ULyfrNGwhQs5kGkGS8nbcguuv6qxhnMY7eMV-Oeufc-elDw/s640/394843D8-C435-489E-885F-3409FA29B0AF.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greek scenery </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XlxBabftWW5cchcfhI4OJqCzs9zBbl6i1NEaHElRCDYKVCJEpso5FMt2dtCX4LUXjI39Q6HhbauVSfVr0wFVkHbqf9VBoC5D8yQCld00rXNUDwbKsSj6prV26ULaczAxEWsHPcD9TbA/s1600/774A8A50-35B4-49E6-9ECC-FA193196F2A6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XlxBabftWW5cchcfhI4OJqCzs9zBbl6i1NEaHElRCDYKVCJEpso5FMt2dtCX4LUXjI39Q6HhbauVSfVr0wFVkHbqf9VBoC5D8yQCld00rXNUDwbKsSj6prV26ULaczAxEWsHPcD9TbA/s640/774A8A50-35B4-49E6-9ECC-FA193196F2A6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Greek scenery</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBitola, Macedonia (FYROM)41.0296773 21.3292163999999540.9817608 21.248535399999952 41.0775938 21.409897399999949tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-66749588326964754442018-05-11T13:24:00.002-04:002018-05-12T01:13:16.699-04:00What's in a Name?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 22: IN WHICH THE WATERS GET MUDDIED<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 46-47: Berat, Albania to Ohrid, Macedonia.</strong> The first two things we learned about Macedonia were: 1) that we didn't know how to pronounce it correctly (it's mah-kay-DOAN-yuh); and 2) that its name isn't really Macedonia. Or it is. Except it isn't. Well, it all depends on who's talking.<br />
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In 1991, when the old Yugoslavian federation disintegrated, Macedonia, which had been one of its republics, declared its independence under the logical name Republic of Macedonia. "Hold on just a minute!" Greece objected. "You can't call yourself Macedonia. Macedonia is the northern part of Greece, and you're stealing our name and identity." This dispute has continued brewing since 1991, and feelings still run high. As recently as February of this year, more than 100,000 Greeks rallied in Athens to protest the use of the word Macedonia in the name of the independent country on their northern border.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greeks protest Republic of Macedonia's name <i> (photo by Reuters)</i></td></tr>
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For almost three decades, Greek antipathy toward their neighbor's name has pushed the much larger nation to stand in the way of attempts by the Republic of Macedonia to join the UN, NATO, and the European Union. The official Greek position has been to insist that the country be called the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), though many who live in the Macedonian region of Greece object to any use of the name whatsoever.<br />
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And that's just the last 30 years. Macedonian history goes back another 2,800 years. (No, that is not a typo.) The kingdom of Macedonia was established in 808 BC. That's well after ancient Egypt and China but some time before Greece and Rome. By 330 BC, Macedonia had become the greatest European power under Philip II, setting the stage for his son Alexander to expand on his father's accomplishments when he ascended to the throne at age 20.<br />
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Under the ruler renowned as Alexander the Great, Macedonia conquered the Persians and expanded its borders from Europe to India to north Africa, making it the world's largest empire. It was quite a run but it didn't last long. By 300 BC, Alexander was dead at age 32, leaving no apparent heir. The kingdom fell into civil war and Alexander's great empire was carved up. Pieces of the once glorious Macedonia subsequently fell under Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Slav, and Turkish rule. <br />
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After gaining their independence from the Ottomans in 1878, three countries—Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia—competed for dominance over Macedonia. None was successful, and when the Balkan Wars finally ended five centuries of Ottoman rule in 1913, the three countries split up Macedonia like they were sharing a pizza for lunch. What is today the Republic of Macedonia was Serbia's piece. Bulgaria and Greece have kept grips on their shares.<br />
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So there you have it—almost three thousand years of history in three paragraphs. (That should put all the drama in today's American politics in perspective.) Since we're in their country for a week, we're calling it what they do, the Republic of Macedonia. We may try to drive into Greece for a day trip while here. Then what?<br />
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Before dealing with that question, we must tell you about Ohrid (OAK-rid), the lovely Macedonian city by the lake. We drove to Ohrid from Albania yesterday, arriving in a pouring rain. Our Airbnb host met us in front of the apartment building, and showed us to the underground parking garage, a terrific piece of luck we weren't expecting. After unpacking the car, we unfurled our umbrellas and set out to see some of this historic city.<br />
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Once a religious center reputed to have 365 churches—one for each day of the year—Ohrid<i> (pop. 42,000)</i> today is better known as a vacation spot than an ecclesiastical destination. Descending downhill from the 10th century Samuil's Fortress, Ohrid's old town ends at the shore of the large lake of the same name.<br />
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Old town is still filled with historic churches and other ancient sites, including a Greek amphitheater built in 200 BC. During Roman times, the theater was used for gladiator fights and executions of Christians. Later the locals covered the theater to bury the memory of those tortures. Not until the 1980s, during renovations to some houses in the old city, was the theater rediscovered and uncovered. So thoroughly had early residents buried the hated institution, archaeologists found it quite well preserved. After some restoration and the installation of a modern bandshell, the theater is once again in use—for concerts and other performances, no impalements permitted.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8UERY-_vUHuYOM86hdxQjzZXeGVAZRvUHxohOuVK-9MEiQCiEMp_aSDsIF4lbsk3v4LEu86yKRQiplHWWkbL13IYQyUdYq3KsceEWTHwuNjCByJcSogl8fZBiAQC5TtI8T4oCIuPhj8/s1600/1F7D4A09-8110-49D7-8BEE-C0817E9E4B03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8UERY-_vUHuYOM86hdxQjzZXeGVAZRvUHxohOuVK-9MEiQCiEMp_aSDsIF4lbsk3v4LEu86yKRQiplHWWkbL13IYQyUdYq3KsceEWTHwuNjCByJcSogl8fZBiAQC5TtI8T4oCIuPhj8/s640/1F7D4A09-8110-49D7-8BEE-C0817E9E4B03.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Many of the city's surviving churches—primarily Eastern Orthodox—have been restored to their original Byzantine design. Frescoes from as early as the 11th century have undergone painstaking restoration with dazzling results. The local Orthodox churches prohibit photographs inside, so we are unable to share the transformation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWfY-ub6q3QQm_qrSoZ7ol2e1Az5bSBQVHZT2JTAhNXSCpL6EAt_OnbiUN3_VfLQULAwrjuLRlVmxVm6DLBR6k1n312jR6_oDn3W2HVtlDan0y9cimj0H-jEYEUDCRrmDN7PyN_PtpwY/s1600/C63633FC-C4F1-43C1-9AAC-651EDAFB5A7E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWfY-ub6q3QQm_qrSoZ7ol2e1Az5bSBQVHZT2JTAhNXSCpL6EAt_OnbiUN3_VfLQULAwrjuLRlVmxVm6DLBR6k1n312jR6_oDn3W2HVtlDan0y9cimj0H-jEYEUDCRrmDN7PyN_PtpwY/s640/C63633FC-C4F1-43C1-9AAC-651EDAFB5A7E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Sophia Church, returned to its original purpose after serving as a mosque during the Ottoman period</td></tr>
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Without question, Ohrid's most photographed church (exterior only) is the Church of St. John at Kaneo. Perched dramatically on a cliff overlooking Kaneo Beach and the blue waters of Lake Ohrid, the church was built in the early 1400s.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yQ75s1t6d7EjMkUjZ1_Z8BbBSShG3ZeJADJ9soVZ9toB17jU131c2rYlxpAlKbs592I-aNEfiTy72sUteYUoW8z0OtUhr_S7CYkuR5XNRniL35Y7iDDUnxO8oCHjX_40CM4DHTZnSq0/s1600/900EA5E7-9D9E-4CF8-B7A4-345582D2D9F7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_yQ75s1t6d7EjMkUjZ1_Z8BbBSShG3ZeJADJ9soVZ9toB17jU131c2rYlxpAlKbs592I-aNEfiTy72sUteYUoW8z0OtUhr_S7CYkuR5XNRniL35Y7iDDUnxO8oCHjX_40CM4DHTZnSq0/s640/900EA5E7-9D9E-4CF8-B7A4-345582D2D9F7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of St. John</td></tr>
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Yesterday was our 45th wedding anniversary and we celebrated with dinner at a small cafe near St. Sophia Church, near which we had just planted a letterbox. Ken made the mistake of mentioning our marital benchmark to our waiter, who proudly returned with a gift from the restaurant manager—tiny goblets filled to the brim with the fire water known in the Balkans as rakia.<br />
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The deceptively innocuous looking beverage is synonymous with hospitality and celebration here, so refusing it was not an option. We smiled, gritted our teeth, and downed as much as we were able, expressing our appreciation for the good wishes.<br />
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Down at shore level, Ohrid wraps around the lake with numerous waterfront cafes and a lengthy pedestrian only shopping street leading away from the lake. In addition to souvenirs, clothing, groceries, and the usual shops, Ohrid has more than its share of jewelry stores selling baubles made with "Ohrid pearls." Though it's difficult to ascertain the "real" story, legend has it that in the early 1900s, a Russian visiting Ohrid discovered that Lake Ohrid was home to a type of fish whose scales could be made into pearls through a very special, very secret process, which he sold for a nice price to a couple of local merchants.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3sAMhkP9LUcMgJH86vsGdppwx30_Q_uqngwf_VzJJxtg-24OLez2mLw4CW2lLqtNYw6v2WP8IWWi2ku7DfkkowCqFR4utiAKQceYuWQPINLzIWFmTVDu1ZG03afRIBHfB0IAB3NNQWwU/s1600/talevOhridPearls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3sAMhkP9LUcMgJH86vsGdppwx30_Q_uqngwf_VzJJxtg-24OLez2mLw4CW2lLqtNYw6v2WP8IWWi2ku7DfkkowCqFR4utiAKQceYuWQPINLzIWFmTVDu1ZG03afRIBHfB0IAB3NNQWwU/s640/talevOhridPearls.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're no experts, but can the oyster be wrong about the authenticity of these baubles?</td></tr>
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Of course, they can't disclose the process (more closely guarded than KFC's secret recipe), but ground shells and fish scales and some kind of liquid in a mysterious Russian bottle seem to be involved. Two families are said to be the keepers of the secret and claim that all "the other" shops are selling cheap fake pearls from China and Turkey, not the "real" Ohrid pearls, which must seem pretty bogus from the oyster's perspective.</div>
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Though we've enjoyed a couple of days in Ohrid, even without purchasing any "pearls," tomorrow we'll leave Lake Ohrid and pass Lake Prespa on the way to the town of Bitola.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">THURSDAY, 10 MAY & FRIDAY, 11 MAY, 2018</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Two-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Berat, Albania<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Ohrid, Macedonia<br />
• <b>Miles driven: </b>112<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 10.87<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 53° to 72°, rain, sunny, partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Years of wedded bliss: </b>45<br />
• <b>Swans on the lake:</b> 24<br />
• <b>Street cats:</b> 35<br />
• <b>Street dogs:</b> 34<br />
• <b>Oldest frescoes:</b> 11th century<br />
• <b>Shops selling "genuine Ohrid pearls":</b> 63<br />
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<b>Loved:</b> The Albania-Macedonia border runs down the middle of Lake Ohrid, so many people of Albanian heritage live in Ohrid. Not that we don't think Macedonians are friendly, but we had numerous positive interactions, which led us to assume those persons were ethnic Albanians.<br />
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Lacking: </b>Thankfully, Ohrid is missing the large tourist groups we've seen in some places. Most locals we chatted with said they see just small groups and most tourists come from Turkey and the Netherlands, both of which feature direct flights to Ohrid.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> We've certainly learned a lot about Macedonian history, and we're pretty puzzled about why Greece is putting up such a fuss. No doubt we'll learn more in the upcoming days.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Ohrid</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0OqPzPQh69sTX0XOT42egXmRhX6qA6jxyWaGRTelcni5vRfAuKuSf9SUmY-YzYxiX53pSFNMC4ajmjTjIFcZv5un4iVHidINZYqT6-0AMo5eR1Bv49R1f13-QNYBzNbOQSYi7DAcQ6w/s1600/6858F467-50EC-4AF5-B067-1337AD3F4466.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1600" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0OqPzPQh69sTX0XOT42egXmRhX6qA6jxyWaGRTelcni5vRfAuKuSf9SUmY-YzYxiX53pSFNMC4ajmjTjIFcZv5un4iVHidINZYqT6-0AMo5eR1Bv49R1f13-QNYBzNbOQSYi7DAcQ6w/s640/6858F467-50EC-4AF5-B067-1337AD3F4466.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our practice with the Cyrillic alphabet helped us find UniBank to withdraw local currency.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPypco90ZVB5sdsVX4emgwPgDdvA0CDwZUQ79VTDLSI5E7zZeXW9DRJqC90-JwAA5tfwpwXtMcr0D_BvcyWJ2SxWpBL2gg9GI-30KSVdn0iAiWSXg1rWXoyZqaH-VGlApOpL7vNnOCuLg/s1600/B7DC056A-1616-473F-85DA-987F020B74BD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPypco90ZVB5sdsVX4emgwPgDdvA0CDwZUQ79VTDLSI5E7zZeXW9DRJqC90-JwAA5tfwpwXtMcr0D_BvcyWJ2SxWpBL2gg9GI-30KSVdn0iAiWSXg1rWXoyZqaH-VGlApOpL7vNnOCuLg/s640/B7DC056A-1616-473F-85DA-987F020B74BD.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is it about swans that makes them so romantic? Or was it just because it was our anniversary? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih20a8Z94CdnFQq8kqMJGxnpMQXT7HFwA8MrQ01sUfqawRaqXgq9TtBU1xZHW-LfWEMT051XQOLDO0V6oPN4IcY7Z0ZRyAc9UqyGhIreeVexobXXApnSFzpMJBBTuJTHYcmbtoEi8gTEc/s1600/CEAEDC60-1C2D-456E-9DE2-15D9DDE9F411.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih20a8Z94CdnFQq8kqMJGxnpMQXT7HFwA8MrQ01sUfqawRaqXgq9TtBU1xZHW-LfWEMT051XQOLDO0V6oPN4IcY7Z0ZRyAc9UqyGhIreeVexobXXApnSFzpMJBBTuJTHYcmbtoEi8gTEc/s640/CEAEDC60-1C2D-456E-9DE2-15D9DDE9F411.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wonderful lakeside boardwalk </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcuNMt2Ld01ST6tOwnhYRC48AC01A2XENMcRMqF2EiOkzkoyoo3kRiqx7rmDkVOpLJF-t5c6DvKRA5KnhGER7z4Q6E_8x86iiz-2tRk6al1JCnFHbZFr7dAe1Ztr48IrTaXWrsR1ywpA/s1600/2E8E9029-61C2-4F2B-9908-A95AFF44BE35.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1217" data-original-width="1600" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcuNMt2Ld01ST6tOwnhYRC48AC01A2XENMcRMqF2EiOkzkoyoo3kRiqx7rmDkVOpLJF-t5c6DvKRA5KnhGER7z4Q6E_8x86iiz-2tRk6al1JCnFHbZFr7dAe1Ztr48IrTaXWrsR1ywpA/s640/2E8E9029-61C2-4F2B-9908-A95AFF44BE35.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shopping in the rain </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwA9Oh1kQ2SKtTPhaOsYP3VjWu89VgoepiUTOMgeTD1_59ZgCZpDlTFNEhNDmLzYsLmXOtDFf9HzmBNMJVjB-Z2CSTTwYyLkcGzUVz0j9QeTCmtUyJN81aLH6yeJ8GX_uVtLLIirT9GoQ/s1600/18714E92-633C-4AD9-BB0E-FB6746A6DA88.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwA9Oh1kQ2SKtTPhaOsYP3VjWu89VgoepiUTOMgeTD1_59ZgCZpDlTFNEhNDmLzYsLmXOtDFf9HzmBNMJVjB-Z2CSTTwYyLkcGzUVz0j9QeTCmtUyJN81aLH6yeJ8GX_uVtLLIirT9GoQ/s640/18714E92-633C-4AD9-BB0E-FB6746A6DA88.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better weather today for visiting Samuil's Fortress</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlN_p1jq36H3I8UkFAAeitlCcZZk_OS_rGJfM-WyBmb-cI8LryA6c-FWiOdxH4Py-cLvs8ZMCMYz9m31t5jIL3m92dV1H9xsFqM1fw4fI3exvOpEdhWjFVu2scuNeH80WFTXm0sDRbcU/s1600/F4DAC982-3338-4848-913C-13F04C21930D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYlN_p1jq36H3I8UkFAAeitlCcZZk_OS_rGJfM-WyBmb-cI8LryA6c-FWiOdxH4Py-cLvs8ZMCMYz9m31t5jIL3m92dV1H9xsFqM1fw4fI3exvOpEdhWjFVu2scuNeH80WFTXm0sDRbcU/s640/F4DAC982-3338-4848-913C-13F04C21930D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ohrid's small marina</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFEB6ny92x1pdGPcRUQ0exm6MGwMEdpYZLJPF5-nX-x3DLC36X3MrHswkNQs_df_nkPP9CnknRh6ajxjpVgHikptsM9CvpbFdjrx5Y24QzuHxE3F8ishXd0nkkbmcIvlC2DB_tM7NL1I/s1600/56AB82EC-AA13-4F7D-8E5D-35152E18698B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFEB6ny92x1pdGPcRUQ0exm6MGwMEdpYZLJPF5-nX-x3DLC36X3MrHswkNQs_df_nkPP9CnknRh6ajxjpVgHikptsM9CvpbFdjrx5Y24QzuHxE3F8ishXd0nkkbmcIvlC2DB_tM7NL1I/s640/56AB82EC-AA13-4F7D-8E5D-35152E18698B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several parks in cities we've visited have these electric cars for youngsters to drive. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1nqji7syAFEuAvbCHTqfTly08L5fuMFYuBga37xqh-69oDwd-QUv-_8by98PNNEpMZeDI-djGRWZhVi9LMIAsZMn5PhUKJR7hxPIa5c_dzP_drMj5-phshwJWFqe2jA8zXxtiahW7Q4/s1600/94F9C092-B7A5-4DC3-9D87-EA3F0EAD3D16.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1131" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1nqji7syAFEuAvbCHTqfTly08L5fuMFYuBga37xqh-69oDwd-QUv-_8by98PNNEpMZeDI-djGRWZhVi9LMIAsZMn5PhUKJR7hxPIa5c_dzP_drMj5-phshwJWFqe2jA8zXxtiahW7Q4/s640/94F9C092-B7A5-4DC3-9D87-EA3F0EAD3D16.jpeg" width="452" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial to Sts. Cyril and Methodius, brothers who invented the Cyrillic alphabet,<br />
influenced the cultural development of Slavs, and<br />
were declared equivalent to apostles in the Eastern Orthodox church. </td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comOhrid, Macedonia (FYROM)41.1230977 20.80164809999996641.1230977 20.801648099999966 41.1230977 20.801648099999966tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-16419274047747225542018-05-09T09:52:00.000-04:002018-06-10T10:11:43.948-04:00Act Like an Albanian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 21: IN WHICH WE LEARN FROM THE BEST<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 43-45: Shkodër, Albania to Berat, Albania.</strong> It's no secret that we have been bowled over by the hospitality that has been extended to us by the people of Albania. Time after time, they have gone out of their way to offer us assistance with any and every little thing, even down to a taxi driver ignoring possible fares to guide us into a tight parking space. <br />
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For fifty years under the Communist regime, Albanians were restricted and oppressed, with virtually every personal freedom stripped away by the ruthless absolute ruler who had a stranglehold on the country. And yet, through it all, they have remained resilient and seem to be hopeful and, hands down, the friendliest people we have had the pleasure to interact with. As we've driven around this scenic country, we have realized that there is much we can learn from the little known Albanian people.<br />
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<b>1. Help out anyone you can, every chance you get with no thought of compensation. </b><br />
In our experience, Albanians seek out opportunities to help people, and there's no judgment regarding whether you have more or less than the other person. Afrim, the guy in the photo to the right, was standing near our path talking to a friend when we walked past in the old city area of Berat. He saw us gazing at a little church up the hill. It appeared to be closed, but Afrim motioned us up the hill through a small gate and took time to give us a guided tour in his broken English, even including what he thought were good spots to take photos. Before we parted ways, he insisted on taking a picture of us with the old city of Berat in the background. <br />
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<b>2. When life deals you problems, find a way to cooperate and make things work.</b><br />
A major road construction project was underway on a narrow street near our Berat hotel. Rather than closing the street, the construction crew congenially paused and shifted their large equipment to accommodate those who needed to pass through, because the only other option was a lengthy detour. With just one lane open, drivers seemed glad to move out of the way to let someone else pass before taking their turn. Unlike the constant blare of horns we heard in Bucharest, even when traffic was at a standstill, the Albanians never uttered a beep and showed remarkable patience.<br />
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<b>3. Remember that what you are unable to finish today can be completed at a later time when circumstances improve.</b><br />
In our travels around the country, we have seen many, many examples of unfinished construction projects, both residential and commercial, because the money ran out before the job was done. Most often part of the structure is complete and occupied, such as the ground floor of a two- or three-story home. The unfinished floors—some with walls, others just framing— are almost always immaculately clean, waiting for a time when funds are available to continue with the project. Commonly, resourceful owners utilize the unfinished floors for purposes such as hanging laundry or storage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtk6rA7yJettDBSARsOEf27l138LmVMi2fVX6h-jGteC_KwkoAEe10Jajb4NYcMqrbJayKFQXxZCkdICLJjLcM3plKJ_Gckmzb0oWW8DljZASQPYUmTNEhhCyOMrAensbbLdFRWyFVtU/s1600/22397E09-7528-48A7-AE4A-CD2DE4CEC267.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtk6rA7yJettDBSARsOEf27l138LmVMi2fVX6h-jGteC_KwkoAEe10Jajb4NYcMqrbJayKFQXxZCkdICLJjLcM3plKJ_Gckmzb0oWW8DljZASQPYUmTNEhhCyOMrAensbbLdFRWyFVtU/s320/22397E09-7528-48A7-AE4A-CD2DE4CEC267.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>4. Always try to look your best.</b><br />
Walking down the street in Tirana one day, we were approached by Ana, a young Albanian woman in her twenties. She spoke to us in flawless English and asked if we needed any help with anything. When we asked her how she knew we were tourists, she pointed to our casual attire—sporty, she called it—and remarked that Albanians always dress more formally. This was certainly borne out in our observations, especially among older Albanian men. Gentlemen of retirement age became a familiar sight, walking on the street, drinking coffee and visiting in sidewalk cafes, playing chess and other games in parks, or going to markets. Almost without exception, they wore dress slacks, button-down shirts and sport coats. We never saw any wearing ties, but that was all that was missing from a standard business attire.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOoEZWG6HA_quHmvBu_ZpZKe9TCjgTMbLnA7yeFdXq7mVaIUzUwf9lHqzHZnjZGlnvysVYF4zE0dMGCX2BZZI0UPLrLCYBTykSWoxJqWVXWZjOvJ9rtvanPofDlb6bUY408CN-FnJwwY/s1600/5B7DD3EE-67A6-4EBE-A6FF-41471B9674DF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOoEZWG6HA_quHmvBu_ZpZKe9TCjgTMbLnA7yeFdXq7mVaIUzUwf9lHqzHZnjZGlnvysVYF4zE0dMGCX2BZZI0UPLrLCYBTykSWoxJqWVXWZjOvJ9rtvanPofDlb6bUY408CN-FnJwwY/s640/5B7DD3EE-67A6-4EBE-A6FF-41471B9674DF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>5. Even if you don't have the latest and greatest, make the best of what you have.</b> Albanians just emerged less than 30 years ago from a lifestyle stuck in the mid-twentieth century when their Communist dictator sealed off the country's borders and any trade or communication with the outside world. No one could be expected to catch up with 50 to 60 years of progress overnight, and Albanians realize that and utilize whatever they have to maximize their quality of life, hoping for a brighter future.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2m1Al7EXRqFy65MYzNCZMDsHI6iPqiIRsoK_cG30aU8Um_ta0ZzoSBBDAfJwlNncccRn1ja1SVEjirY4SrVGg4KUTrTy7W_3lY2qpLDSWfbaubEh75hNw1igy6xiryZ2Df5Hsr0zcAI/s1600/0FA31173-B4FC-47FC-A7FC-DA35A2287587.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2m1Al7EXRqFy65MYzNCZMDsHI6iPqiIRsoK_cG30aU8Um_ta0ZzoSBBDAfJwlNncccRn1ja1SVEjirY4SrVGg4KUTrTy7W_3lY2qpLDSWfbaubEh75hNw1igy6xiryZ2Df5Hsr0zcAI/s320/0FA31173-B4FC-47FC-A7FC-DA35A2287587.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>6. You'll never succeed if you don't try.</b><br />
Albanian roads are dotted with hundreds of car washes. Every town we passed through had half a dozen or more along the main artery, and there was no shortage between towns either. For someone unable to find a job, a car wash is a pretty affordable way to start your own business. All you need is a sign announcing your Lavazh, a source of water, and some soap. Most are quite simple, often a one-person operation. No doubt, some fail, but, hey, at least they're trying.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcZ13tWD9AXxT9pEObjTQEQLhw3am6kTnORu_faOCwoe69uEr8pvj6IA-OywOYMunDW-ZX590F3BPk4AUHn6xOYsOkqPJDpVanRO7Q3WAkayNKgdb6YhRty7Zvm6O_lLqjQY8EqFJjD0/s1600/B0056AD1-DCB8-4A83-99EF-9858EF8465C8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcZ13tWD9AXxT9pEObjTQEQLhw3am6kTnORu_faOCwoe69uEr8pvj6IA-OywOYMunDW-ZX590F3BPk4AUHn6xOYsOkqPJDpVanRO7Q3WAkayNKgdb6YhRty7Zvm6O_lLqjQY8EqFJjD0/s320/B0056AD1-DCB8-4A83-99EF-9858EF8465C8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>7. Be nice to people who come to visit you.</b><br />
At the border crossing when we entered Albania and in other interactions we've had with public officials, they have been uncommonly kind and welcoming. Not once but twice, we were flagged down by Albanian police for minor traffic infractions caused by some uncertainty regarding local laws. Since we picked up our rental car in Sarajevo, it has license plates from Bosnia and Herzegovina. When the officers have asked to see Ken's passport, they've been surprised when he handed over an American document. In both cases, he apologized, using the Albanian phrase for "Excuse me" and the policemen have waved us on with a friendly warning to be more cautious.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizoACoR008dqRF1l_CHNK770gsuzcUGC0jfUKDzWlTkF_UWoNqaiYUP6Usn28jUlaiYXpKwsyX9Fp28gu1h7sMWshmoh6a_lZGQwDBtJnthSjVK7Z4LZPIF4xdt7vPLbegoXFxSb3Y1Xg/s1600/480A025B-2AD3-45EA-B638-0ACC190129E1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizoACoR008dqRF1l_CHNK770gsuzcUGC0jfUKDzWlTkF_UWoNqaiYUP6Usn28jUlaiYXpKwsyX9Fp28gu1h7sMWshmoh6a_lZGQwDBtJnthSjVK7Z4LZPIF4xdt7vPLbegoXFxSb3Y1Xg/s320/480A025B-2AD3-45EA-B638-0ACC190129E1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>8. Make the most of the assets you have.</b><br />
Though we had heard and read that Albania has a significant problem with garbage, we did not see that in our travels. Roadside litter was rare, as was road kill. City streets were neat and tidy. Though we didn't make it to what is said to be a beautiful coastal area on the Adriatic Sea, we were treated to some stunning mountain scenery as well as fascinating historic sites that date back many centuries. The old town area of Berat (right) still has many Ottoman style houses, and the city has successfully billed itself as "the city of a thousand windows."<br />
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In just a few days, we have developed a respect and appreciation for the Albanian people. Rather than eyeing people with suspicion, concerned that someone may want to mug us or rob us (we're looking at you, Bucharest), we have found ourselves feeling more relaxed, comforted by the notion that the people around us would jump to our assistance should some Romanian con man in green shorts find his way into the country.<br />
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Tomorrow we'll leave Berat and drive northeast to the city of Ohrid, Macedonia, leaving Albania behind for now, glad we'll return to Tirana for our flight to Venice in a couple of weeks.<br />
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<i>NOTE: We saw Alex, the man in the heading photo, running through a park, though he was obviously not dressed for jogging. It turned out that he saw me taking a photo and was rushing to get out of my way. When Ken went over to the bench where he was sitting to speak to him, Alex offered to get up and give us the bench. Those Albanians!</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">MONDAY, 7 MAY — WEDNESDAY, 9 MAY, 2018</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Three-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Shkodër, Albania<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Berat, Albania<br />
• <b>Miles driven: </b>150<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 17.79<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 61° to 79°, rain, sunny, partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Car washes:</b> 1,982<br />
• <b>Wagons on the road:</b> 39<br />
• <b>Unfinished construction projects:</b> 2,983<br />
• <b>Stop signs:</b> 19% of intersections outside major cities<br />
• <b>Interactions with Albanian police:</b> 2<br />
• <b>Abandoned factories:</b> 31<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Loved:</b> Albania and its people<br />
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Lacking:</b> We would hate to wish cruise ships on a country we have come to like so much, but Albania has many beautiful areas to see, as well as hospitable people, and its economy could certainly benefit from a tourism boost.<br />
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<b>Learned: </b> As we should all know, you can't always believe what you read or hear about people. Our experiences with Albanians was a good reminder to reserve judgment until we have interacted with them firsthand.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Albania</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw9wYbCF62uPDiPoVp66WcG5SomyfJQcTdcS5mKZd2ig5iE_Md5vnL5xw8sIyXA2pw_ugwwtceho6MkRUvy9xkCNKRHi_Jc5D76Kk-u5mfRb_FGvYOD0IB5ZEJF27rlAX6Gjn6aWeCxY/s1600/152644E7-449A-4910-AC9D-B6E94D521A20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw9wYbCF62uPDiPoVp66WcG5SomyfJQcTdcS5mKZd2ig5iE_Md5vnL5xw8sIyXA2pw_ugwwtceho6MkRUvy9xkCNKRHi_Jc5D76Kk-u5mfRb_FGvYOD0IB5ZEJF27rlAX6Gjn6aWeCxY/s640/152644E7-449A-4910-AC9D-B6E94D521A20.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our 45th anniversary photo taken by Afrim</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRtghl9a1ASYdxjAkOgNbA-Zif6UHxSUKOsYpEqjLjisQH1H9t03pi-vUqCg4WIF-zzCij_a0sZj5-REBlTVXLFiP2XGKgz2gK_zcsZVdSAp99NG-UdkX0ZRLYX2okoNRdDb_m_4xtSo/s1600/54375D25-E1E5-4475-96FD-93E3FC84C389.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRtghl9a1ASYdxjAkOgNbA-Zif6UHxSUKOsYpEqjLjisQH1H9t03pi-vUqCg4WIF-zzCij_a0sZj5-REBlTVXLFiP2XGKgz2gK_zcsZVdSAp99NG-UdkX0ZRLYX2okoNRdDb_m_4xtSo/s640/54375D25-E1E5-4475-96FD-93E3FC84C389.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rush hour traffic jam in Tirana. People squeeze in and give way for others to do the same.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00ACNZniYRKG2Rq2P0IY2kwrBC207NTpbskpp7dYgt_IyjnRGq7lcVygqedukpk5aTCL1s2htRND8i7LhnKGtsQ_fk55SDVpPYXDAjLP14u4Bp-oOYptDQvf2bvLgY_iG9fbLNluuW2I/s1600/5CA288AC-AA74-48C7-B828-A6C93464BF61.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00ACNZniYRKG2Rq2P0IY2kwrBC207NTpbskpp7dYgt_IyjnRGq7lcVygqedukpk5aTCL1s2htRND8i7LhnKGtsQ_fk55SDVpPYXDAjLP14u4Bp-oOYptDQvf2bvLgY_iG9fbLNluuW2I/s640/5CA288AC-AA74-48C7-B828-A6C93464BF61.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willful neglect of former mausoleum for Communist leader Hoxha reflects contempt for him and his crimes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyOwUFD9l5pBho2xsPfh5XYVXgR7YBRWs0wh30y_AjaY5ftQjG3bVBwk7eNmv719NOOVzl5Hb0Ep7fielMXKtKtfKP1QDQ6dY-8fhHchA0TpCGbWag1ny7C_9nixw35bsh0a5oGxbxtw/s1600/605C61A6-AE9A-4A1B-9AC8-B88F3975D9E7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyOwUFD9l5pBho2xsPfh5XYVXgR7YBRWs0wh30y_AjaY5ftQjG3bVBwk7eNmv719NOOVzl5Hb0Ep7fielMXKtKtfKP1QDQ6dY-8fhHchA0TpCGbWag1ny7C_9nixw35bsh0a5oGxbxtw/s640/605C61A6-AE9A-4A1B-9AC8-B88F3975D9E7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a downtown park, a red heart structure for love locks hasn't quite caught on yet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtcI4Wa0cVEKPLexq_TPxHsdnaYq21_5lq_EHNsSNhNtH-5CRVjnkAv4aDjCDOY8p8KuTyVvPIAJDXtMEef4JlCA6h2oO2wuA6FQr7TGBBtwt5DomUl2aBMRUWzegNiPNeFrlOfu21Mo/s1600/FD36B723-F3D1-4EF1-A76C-EDD018C7A514.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtcI4Wa0cVEKPLexq_TPxHsdnaYq21_5lq_EHNsSNhNtH-5CRVjnkAv4aDjCDOY8p8KuTyVvPIAJDXtMEef4JlCA6h2oO2wuA6FQr7TGBBtwt5DomUl2aBMRUWzegNiPNeFrlOfu21Mo/s640/FD36B723-F3D1-4EF1-A76C-EDD018C7A514.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved these traffic lights with strings of LEDs reinforcing the light color and time till the next change. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqvfQ_PA-bXi_qtK0bPjiZi3J2kzLj_OWfod5bxTcsvJQnjvujtqd84gsy0xjeaRq0aiio4jTRtFDvOEfF8RjhmK9ngnV1yJHfNJ9GGiLMCbrXQeOabuWD26P2VzIICLKvnyo9nuwf24/s1600/1DEC2310-4252-4CC7-95AB-09131AC71783.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqvfQ_PA-bXi_qtK0bPjiZi3J2kzLj_OWfod5bxTcsvJQnjvujtqd84gsy0xjeaRq0aiio4jTRtFDvOEfF8RjhmK9ngnV1yJHfNJ9GGiLMCbrXQeOabuWD26P2VzIICLKvnyo9nuwf24/s640/1DEC2310-4252-4CC7-95AB-09131AC71783.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving new meaning to the term street lamps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxB3uI3M0yEroanae3yLA4-vdmuX2ZR1PsVrcuBGL4Du6IjLyQHbIpX-5a_0tszx4MhHZE5MWGxz6Q800T18AJyZckl8lPIL2_ThCi-dRj6l-X1ch9Ipd3hyl650KPzWFc6Lnjz_0aak/s1600/267A0398-2730-4216-A6AC-709E9CF7CF33.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1207" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxB3uI3M0yEroanae3yLA4-vdmuX2ZR1PsVrcuBGL4Du6IjLyQHbIpX-5a_0tszx4MhHZE5MWGxz6Q800T18AJyZckl8lPIL2_ThCi-dRj6l-X1ch9Ipd3hyl650KPzWFc6Lnjz_0aak/s640/267A0398-2730-4216-A6AC-709E9CF7CF33.jpeg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Albanian national hero Alexander Skanderbeg in Tirana's Skanderbeg Square </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1IGzS-c84KfB-94f7wM_IoPKAgo38IHFjsniLvTuA_3NhTANFdm_LUwmk85WODwX6ALbKtBWMmoivcyGjyl-aDO4zCJl-F2g2abZYxcdJssBJeXj3cS2GGKTPwM6BgG-6R0VKOXa7FI/s1600/590D3042-62B9-4695-918A-DA44FA3353A8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji1IGzS-c84KfB-94f7wM_IoPKAgo38IHFjsniLvTuA_3NhTANFdm_LUwmk85WODwX6ALbKtBWMmoivcyGjyl-aDO4zCJl-F2g2abZYxcdJssBJeXj3cS2GGKTPwM6BgG-6R0VKOXa7FI/s640/590D3042-62B9-4695-918A-DA44FA3353A8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small farms create a patchwork quilt landscape.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rlBzPA9r_TLT9p2g04YAC8-gu_KRy7UAb_FGC8GHBBeNYh1BXk740wfdsI2njS3gNaUiAva_ALQxDI0FfDZ3YeRS2Ip5Jw7XU1V8EKALp8Zy5hLlJx7EirU2a3aaV9gCBlB3_ZkbtVg/s1600/F6FDF3FA-0494-4F67-ACF0-1F0CE756D7EC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rlBzPA9r_TLT9p2g04YAC8-gu_KRy7UAb_FGC8GHBBeNYh1BXk740wfdsI2njS3gNaUiAva_ALQxDI0FfDZ3YeRS2Ip5Jw7XU1V8EKALp8Zy5hLlJx7EirU2a3aaV9gCBlB3_ZkbtVg/s640/F6FDF3FA-0494-4F67-ACF0-1F0CE756D7EC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of Berat's old town</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyvQH52k63enNZ5qDL3lLrHSl7hmH40ciOsm7_E8VIC3KyxkPrycyEBkb952_dZSWfvbqADxj_K5c73V6woMbmxJWYI1KqwjDxj5mfG6SmEnNKNatxF1RU_ZqSFMyxFkWCK_pEbow904/s1600/BC410C1E-48CB-4194-97F7-0BD9534A3273.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyvQH52k63enNZ5qDL3lLrHSl7hmH40ciOsm7_E8VIC3KyxkPrycyEBkb952_dZSWfvbqADxj_K5c73V6woMbmxJWYI1KqwjDxj5mfG6SmEnNKNatxF1RU_ZqSFMyxFkWCK_pEbow904/s640/BC410C1E-48CB-4194-97F7-0BD9534A3273.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berat old town</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yg_HpgpPp8Nk4bwMYGO7adDXTrwCxQpVLAC6KLt3o87LQJCNRQyFQ_65NPapWND7Zskwy-4BbWOXtfCHfNXOFazfi83XLNUfkDZaM5lRFE4p4x1Dnzw0z6S15Twdy0OPzVv0MufG_e8/s1600/0403F88A-1C34-4EEB-8CA7-F7A5F30FBC95.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yg_HpgpPp8Nk4bwMYGO7adDXTrwCxQpVLAC6KLt3o87LQJCNRQyFQ_65NPapWND7Zskwy-4BbWOXtfCHfNXOFazfi83XLNUfkDZaM5lRFE4p4x1Dnzw0z6S15Twdy0OPzVv0MufG_e8/s640/0403F88A-1C34-4EEB-8CA7-F7A5F30FBC95.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning view of an Albanian valley from an abandoned gas station</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUY4_kyfZfzB2-YWebj_kLqbqDSK1CP6l5IRqKzHZ_zWTu9TSB7RLs1J6E8WQ-IbgEb6roIsfdpnja2XPht2KyXYdkjJfNod7l-uXfA8h0WCMyKPHJo2goGGl1k4pfLVhYLtJ0MSKEAaU/s1600/390075B9-CCFB-4590-A25E-BA88AAE26FFE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUY4_kyfZfzB2-YWebj_kLqbqDSK1CP6l5IRqKzHZ_zWTu9TSB7RLs1J6E8WQ-IbgEb6roIsfdpnja2XPht2KyXYdkjJfNod7l-uXfA8h0WCMyKPHJo2goGGl1k4pfLVhYLtJ0MSKEAaU/s640/390075B9-CCFB-4590-A25E-BA88AAE26FFE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Albanian shore of Lake Ohrid</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaf_jVUtA1Y88b3ohywXjVVmiFuJDrjRrX7DUilInQBbivhIZZ1zjVE6VmoTo1OzduAQLDIYXHh10sVgJKXfty9ePeRvziX9uvOrzC6aqz24bkhf-EdX8UdJXv5SYfmUJcE3KTp5yXszM/s1600/06CF34A0-8B23-4439-95B0-C682A2D60F56.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaf_jVUtA1Y88b3ohywXjVVmiFuJDrjRrX7DUilInQBbivhIZZ1zjVE6VmoTo1OzduAQLDIYXHh10sVgJKXfty9ePeRvziX9uvOrzC6aqz24bkhf-EdX8UdJXv5SYfmUJcE3KTp5yXszM/s640/06CF34A0-8B23-4439-95B0-C682A2D60F56.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Albanians have a sense of humor, too. Toilet signs at a supermarket in Elbasan</td></tr>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBerat, Albania40.7086377 19.94373139999993340.6604932 19.863050399999935 40.756782199999996 20.024412399999932tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-62462910949791871462018-05-06T15:05:00.001-04:002018-05-07T05:04:38.672-04:00Pal-bania<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 20: IN WHICH WE GET ON FRIENDLY TERMS WITH ALBANIA<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 41-42: Podgorica, Montenegro to Shkodër, Albania.</strong> For some time now, I have had an interest in going to Albania. I have no idea why or when this notion first struck me, but when we started talking about visiting eastern Europe, Albania was the first country I put on the list. Finally, on day 41 of the trip, we arrived and Albania has not disappointed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC00rUY0LQVVv8cMVsnk2tEyNCYBdAM2LQbXZ127xqVCmxVQ-bgpcxT374AmZ3ZGxImUSlx9JPsDdKFlhi8IE345FXUqBlxVXIckXHuaJ3eZ3FDrtP6IVbyKvUknAfCWIrnJ9jn0mMHg/s1600/FA7E291F-B4F9-4E6B-AFEC-438DEC713C92.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC00rUY0LQVVv8cMVsnk2tEyNCYBdAM2LQbXZ127xqVCmxVQ-bgpcxT374AmZ3ZGxImUSlx9JPsDdKFlhi8IE345FXUqBlxVXIckXHuaJ3eZ3FDrtP6IVbyKvUknAfCWIrnJ9jn0mMHg/s640/FA7E291F-B4F9-4E6B-AFEC-438DEC713C92.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Skadar on the border between Montenegro and Albania</td></tr>
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That's not to say our trip from Montenegro to Albania was without incident. Since it was only a 38-mile drive, we decided we could do a bit of sightseeing along the way and planned a rather more circuitous route, but Google Maps still tagged the trip at 90 miles, which seemed quite manageable. Until we saw the roads. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83wy05TIPT-Sx8CSvQVPhjBuXfhehz9x7EPT79CTZxJ9F0GDiqGC0t4p9Dfo4GO1bz-acW5sgWgdiP1FRJcSYbQ1gudFhTbdsaH2qHD8HYw3ZIiuelJkqRplx_eVj5mihB-da_A4A9IQ/s1600/687C3F14-7836-4C6A-8A30-FCBF8C25020D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83wy05TIPT-Sx8CSvQVPhjBuXfhehz9x7EPT79CTZxJ9F0GDiqGC0t4p9Dfo4GO1bz-acW5sgWgdiP1FRJcSYbQ1gudFhTbdsaH2qHD8HYw3ZIiuelJkqRplx_eVj5mihB-da_A4A9IQ/s640/687C3F14-7836-4C6A-8A30-FCBF8C25020D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room for two cars to pass without one going over the edge?</td></tr>
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By the time we got our first look at Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula, we had already been steered onto a lane and a half wide road—in its best stretches . Since the road was no more than a paved ledge on the side of a mountain, usually with no guardrails, its lack of width made for some hair-raising experiences when meeting other cars.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9wCk8x1zMfqiBXJZtoab7oxUCg_Kq6m79PAw0kXVFCg60UAOrmYMKOnGkuJm0xlMZtNsviDVYV1LWN6u7f2TzuLOvzJZ5euzDzUlKH-SqWPQKfRYKpYjhkkVXRhSVSfzbXrvMuhZPWQ/s1600/2F2355BA-5C05-490A-AFDD-A88F50EB0E13.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9wCk8x1zMfqiBXJZtoab7oxUCg_Kq6m79PAw0kXVFCg60UAOrmYMKOnGkuJm0xlMZtNsviDVYV1LWN6u7f2TzuLOvzJZ5euzDzUlKH-SqWPQKfRYKpYjhkkVXRhSVSfzbXrvMuhZPWQ/s640/2F2355BA-5C05-490A-AFDD-A88F50EB0E13.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least there's no drop-off on either side.</td></tr>
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Fortunately local drivers take such encounters in stride, and Ken has the calm mindset and enough experience on Europe's backroads to deal with whatever comes. Sometimes I wonder how he does it. Today he had to maneuver a three-point turn to reverse course in an unmarked one-way back alley not much wider than the car. After he executed it with no more than an inch between the car's front bumper and a light pole, I gushed, "Wow! Nerves of steel!" "Not really," he replied, "I just didn't look."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0vZj_FNkEWJX5CnToj_BfIepRdXK9nQpYcGTR8PN5lVL47Gkc3Ghu-tF7zRSrbLeVrcIU7nKXGLhjf9Qt7jq-8EXg1LCNZuzf_VqoBnt0z4I5c224hW6x6oH1Qs2GAF_qQoZLpKYfcA/s1600/351A998C-04A8-4A32-A131-D14A479DBC03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0vZj_FNkEWJX5CnToj_BfIepRdXK9nQpYcGTR8PN5lVL47Gkc3Ghu-tF7zRSrbLeVrcIU7nKXGLhjf9Qt7jq-8EXg1LCNZuzf_VqoBnt0z4I5c224hW6x6oH1Qs2GAF_qQoZLpKYfcA/s640/351A998C-04A8-4A32-A131-D14A479DBC03.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rijeka Crnojevića Bridge</td></tr>
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We seem to have developed an affection for the arched stone bridges found widely in this part of the world. Many were built during Ottoman or even Roman times, but the double-arch limestone span in the village of Rijeka Crnojevića, Montenegro, was erected only in 1853 by Prince Danilo I in honor of his father. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsX2uwzO_PLrq9NoixE9dv_PvFDYeex0X6DMeECDn6BOeJxcvD_kSKzrlnB5l9r5DAOn3gXXVv1D4pho3WsVIut8HetViH8lXA0k7U6LEa4ru9IGOgerL3eSnLF-QGcv9UG0bCbESh-Rw/s1600/D5D8593C-C3C1-4235-BB1A-6C5AA44D4410.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsX2uwzO_PLrq9NoixE9dv_PvFDYeex0X6DMeECDn6BOeJxcvD_kSKzrlnB5l9r5DAOn3gXXVv1D4pho3WsVIut8HetViH8lXA0k7U6LEa4ru9IGOgerL3eSnLF-QGcv9UG0bCbESh-Rw/s640/D5D8593C-C3C1-4235-BB1A-6C5AA44D4410.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The riverside in Rijeka Crnojevića</td></tr>
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Like the town of Mostar in Bosnia, Rijeka Crnojevića <i>(pop. 175, founded before 1475) </i>has made the most of its bridge's popularity, offering a pleasant plaza with numerous sidewalk cafes, boat rentals, and other vendors. In summertime, the area can become quite busy but thankfully not as overrun as Mostar.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUEQdH8yQmOQ7g0LarxDT8MeWWJ9e6zVL82Tb_l0968iwZY7QHoAO1Bwe78yKTMm9Gt2vxk1ub1qh0HNPT7hpUVpL6llnB4izzxCB1A9dx3nghjHMmO0PGZ2HsF9_e0VZPi_EvY3YZJo/s1600/0FD9D196-EFCF-4ADC-A084-658AA7A2DC24.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUEQdH8yQmOQ7g0LarxDT8MeWWJ9e6zVL82Tb_l0968iwZY7QHoAO1Bwe78yKTMm9Gt2vxk1ub1qh0HNPT7hpUVpL6llnB4izzxCB1A9dx3nghjHMmO0PGZ2HsF9_e0VZPi_EvY3YZJo/s640/0FD9D196-EFCF-4ADC-A084-658AA7A2DC24.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing the road</td></tr>
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As we were driving along on some unlabeled mountain lane in southern Montenegro—after either Garmin or we made a questionable turn—we rounded a curve to see a group of sheep and goats in the road ahead. When we slowed to allow them to move aside, we noticed a donkey in front of them led by someone we assumed was a shepherd.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOmrMHcup3Cj5caGDJdKzMQ0DGiJO90gIBBeydH2d5pPLNLYifLabaIXTRfcqCu8EeMgYmlvyid3WCALoHIH7b4kvEJZN1uyh8jBa9HoT-CpfqW3CSFyRRRrSW1Nugii7fFya5ovMoQo/s1600/D11228E7-C066-4B3D-A135-53248DA7E476.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOmrMHcup3Cj5caGDJdKzMQ0DGiJO90gIBBeydH2d5pPLNLYifLabaIXTRfcqCu8EeMgYmlvyid3WCALoHIH7b4kvEJZN1uyh8jBa9HoT-CpfqW3CSFyRRRrSW1Nugii7fFya5ovMoQo/s640/D11228E7-C066-4B3D-A135-53248DA7E476.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking for the simple life</td></tr>
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It turned out to be Paolo, a young Italian who had left his home in Trieste on foot with his dog several months earlier. They stopped in Croatia, where he bought the donkey and the goats and sheep. He likes traveling in the old style while looking for a place to move where he can live a simple life. His livestock was well trained and immediately moved off the road at his command. Smart animals! They apparently understand Italian and probably Croatian also.<br />
<br />
As we traversed these less than standard size Montenegrin roads with varying degrees of maintenance, we wondered whether Albania's could really be worse, as we had read. A look at the country's history will explain why.<br />
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When Germany withdrew from Albania at the end of World War II, no other country was interested in the neglected Ottoman outpost. Its mostly Muslim inhabitants had no common language, and most were illiterate. The country lacked industries, railways and universities.
In the power vacuum, Communist partisans—using arms provided them by the Allies to use against Axis powers—squelched minor opposition and formed a government under the leadership of a former school teacher, Enver Hoxha.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37nlHdRL9-KKjlyyUOPbnlqxFNhWfbXlNWCSGADJx9mZ8cO2ifTIUsBvAT31Ccbfr9IFpLpgh05c-2B0PzuWRgG_IPGjaL-R0S5_IFSvkC2KsjeOH6pPF3xXoWuCcEqT8dbp2CTycP58/s1600/enver_hoxha_wallpaper_2016_by_abizz-d9s7arb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37nlHdRL9-KKjlyyUOPbnlqxFNhWfbXlNWCSGADJx9mZ8cO2ifTIUsBvAT31Ccbfr9IFpLpgh05c-2B0PzuWRgG_IPGjaL-R0S5_IFSvkC2KsjeOH6pPF3xXoWuCcEqT8dbp2CTycP58/s640/enver_hoxha_wallpaper_2016_by_abizz-d9s7arb.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Albania's repressive ruler (image from deviant art.com)</td></tr>
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A Stalinism devotee, Hoxha assumed absolute power and ordered all mosques and churches demolished or converted into sports arenas or warehouses, declaring Albania "the world's first atheist state, whose only religion is Albanianism." He confiscated land to form collective farms and presided over mass imprisonments and bloody purges of those who dared to oppose his rule.
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During his 40-year regime, Hoxha rigidly cordoned off Albania from the rest of the world, even as he improved literacy rates and modernized the economy with Soviet style industrialization. Not only were Albanians forbidden to leave the country, internal mobility was also strictly limited. Only select Communist party officials were permitted to own and operate cars, and even refrigerators and typewriters required rare special permits to purchase.<br />
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When the borders opened after the Communist government collapsed in 1991, more than a fifth of Albanians fled their country seeking economic relief and political freedoms too long repressed. Due to this exodus and the 1912 partitioning by European powers that put large areas populated by ethnic Albanians in other countries, there are today far more Albanians living outside their native country than inside.
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Since virtually no one in Albania was permitted to own and operate a car until 27 years ago, the country did not have or need a well-developed system of roads. Having heard nightmare stories of unsigned and unmarked roads with deep potholes and crumbling pavement, we were expecting the worst.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW2b_dcxsQbYIz3s8KxLcetVXjJflGc48VmjPMv5ElEFzUHbxV0CZErDVr5SwzIApoFjPb44S6OyJdSngo0nrT1Ge_iOuX2hD-n4jy_rz4iLvBxr9NgfeYeQg5kFw98Ns-USYJOzHHkI/s1600/35D9340D-43F7-461C-986D-E5C8FB096495.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW2b_dcxsQbYIz3s8KxLcetVXjJflGc48VmjPMv5ElEFzUHbxV0CZErDVr5SwzIApoFjPb44S6OyJdSngo0nrT1Ge_iOuX2hD-n4jy_rz4iLvBxr9NgfeYeQg5kFw98Ns-USYJOzHHkI/s640/35D9340D-43F7-461C-986D-E5C8FB096495.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first look at Albania</td></tr>
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Before we reached the border, rain was falling steadily. After a pretty efficient check at Montenegro's station, we arrived at the Albanian checkpoint. We were unprepared for a passport control experience unlike any other on this trip. The Albanian immigration agent took us by surprise when she exuded a friendly attitude. Though she spoke only a few words of English, she smiled, asked if we were going to Shkodër <i>(pop. 135,000, founded 3rd century BC),</i> indicated it was a nice town and wished us a good trip. Little did we know, this was a sign of things to come, events we've come to call FAEs (friendly Albanian encounters).<br />
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It was an auspicious beginning, but when we got to the other side of the checkpoint, we found ourselves driving through a sea of mud. We never expected Albanian roads to be <i>this </i>bad, and we soon realized it was just a construction project to expand the border station. When we exited the area, we found ourselves on a better road than we had seen for quite some time—smooth surface, wide shoulders, well marked, helpfully signed. Another pleasant Albanian surprise.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkt_GctnIFxvPBUDkJwE5VNsB_5zOgEjEaY7PN3yvEDGOQmcDofcIShdqqjMZLE8fJnOHpkoAcEkC9VGcN3jghdYhvaBhbcQDUk3RcPwVK6g4GAbwnpAByPi2hu3MyBNQYH494Q3VBYs/s1600/C2F184B2-C169-40DE-8E20-931B26B6546D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkt_GctnIFxvPBUDkJwE5VNsB_5zOgEjEaY7PN3yvEDGOQmcDofcIShdqqjMZLE8fJnOHpkoAcEkC9VGcN3jghdYhvaBhbcQDUk3RcPwVK6g4GAbwnpAByPi2hu3MyBNQYH494Q3VBYs/s640/C2F184B2-C169-40DE-8E20-931B26B6546D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roads should all look like this Albanian one.</td></tr>
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By the time we finally arrived Saturday evening, we were ready to have dinner and call it a day. As we were eating, Ken casually asked me what my plans were regarding exercise for the day, and I realized I had completely dropped the ball. Since the beginning of this year, I have followed the activity app on my Apple watch with an obsession, meeting three activity goals and walking at least five miles every day. After dinner, I sloshed back and forth on a quarter-mile stretch of street near our hotel in the pouring rain (with an umbrella and raincoat) for more than an hour, finishing just before 9 p.m. My slacks were wet from the knees down, but, by golly, those goals were met. <br />
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Sunday was our day to explore the Shkodër area, and we were treated to one pleasant interaction with Albanians after another, beginning at breakfast and the day's FAE #1. Though the meals we were served for dinner at the hotel's restaurant the evening before had been delicious, portion sizes were more than we could handle. The sizable amount of food we left on our plates signaled to the chef that something was wrong with our food. When he learned from the server that we were there for breakfast, he came to the table to apologize and ended up spending 15 minutes chatting candidly with us about life in Albania as well as our travels. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGFt1wpsFW_-MutkMyC0Dc_ZnPoPZMicylXfWlWAep5NfNvlTo8hPKL9BwG53Ud-whJH7igvC18omapqA3rDWdADVjNI2Cox_XRkLuyBLS_YhGBEVbNu3LWnxniHpd8T3PMpoFa7KcsU/s1600/DD38FF05-E612-481E-8FD8-35B9485BB924.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGFt1wpsFW_-MutkMyC0Dc_ZnPoPZMicylXfWlWAep5NfNvlTo8hPKL9BwG53Ud-whJH7igvC18omapqA3rDWdADVjNI2Cox_XRkLuyBLS_YhGBEVbNu3LWnxniHpd8T3PMpoFa7KcsU/s640/DD38FF05-E612-481E-8FD8-35B9485BB924.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mes Bridge</td></tr>
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After breakfast, our intended first stop was another of those arched bridges, this one in the village of Mes, about 3 miles northeast of Shkodër. What should have been a simple drive turned complicated when we missed a turn in the GPS directions and found ourselves in a maze of unpaved streets, one muddier and more puddled than the last.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNUmbfwkUh9B6GAopTNbmenhILXy-EfmjCwOANSZIgus9NaEhhz9Q1jPYGIW7wLyD9BXj9pLLsV7csVd23yBjeazsNc5xi7uUeuFKOd8Vh-6c7bv4Bhh6Lb_k5YCMzeNoycR950Nl8RA/s1600/C03C360B-420D-4C8C-A719-401F8D290E10.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNUmbfwkUh9B6GAopTNbmenhILXy-EfmjCwOANSZIgus9NaEhhz9Q1jPYGIW7wLyD9BXj9pLLsV7csVd23yBjeazsNc5xi7uUeuFKOd8Vh-6c7bv4Bhh6Lb_k5YCMzeNoycR950Nl8RA/s640/C03C360B-420D-4C8C-A719-401F8D290E10.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We thought (left) was bad until we turned onto (right).</td></tr>
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The way back to the main road was not obvious, and Lady Garmin didn't seem to have any more insight than we did as she repeatedly told us she was "recalculating." Rescue came in the form of FAE #2. A smiling middle aged woman pushing a wheelbarrow approached the car as we were turning around for the third time. After establishing that we didn't speak a common language, we showed her a photo of the bridge on the phone. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7H5EzTnnRN9PVUh7kgyOmvNU7Md1olvwYbKqr7dF5fz7ioaiUb_ZagzPBnds7MPXSwV-ktK-odPJT2eCUXJI4s_PzeU-kZkIWya9ipdjPUSFc4wfutdnDtaTyrNWPob-YzcVNaDGfP64/s1600/B27E53EE-4266-4431-9AE5-70DB2719BE92.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7H5EzTnnRN9PVUh7kgyOmvNU7Md1olvwYbKqr7dF5fz7ioaiUb_ZagzPBnds7MPXSwV-ktK-odPJT2eCUXJI4s_PzeU-kZkIWya9ipdjPUSFc4wfutdnDtaTyrNWPob-YzcVNaDGfP64/s320/B27E53EE-4266-4431-9AE5-70DB2719BE92.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yetmir</td></tr>
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With a light of understanding in her eyes, she explained to us in Albanian, accompanied by a wealth of explanatory gestures, how to extract ourselves from the maze and arrive at the bridge. We politely declined what we believe was an invitation to visit her house for a glass of rakia—the fiery fruit brandy that epitomizes hospitality in the Balkans—and drove on. Following her directions, we soon found ourselves entering the village of Mes.<br />
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After checking out the 18th century Ottoman bridge, we took a stroll in town and met Yetmir, who was doing some yard work as we passed by. As we enjoyed a 15-minute conversation with him, he repeatedly apologized for the poor quality of his English (a common event in our experiences), but we thought it was terrific. In the middle of the conversation, a couple of teenaged boys walked by, heard us talking with him in English and jumped at the chance to try out their own skills. "Hello," they both said. "Hi. How are you?" And they continued, smiling, on their way, apparently pleased that we had understood them and responded in words familiar to them. FAE #3 and #4.<br />
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From Mes, we drove a bit south of Shkodër center to Rozafa Castle. Sitting regally on an imposing rocky hill overlooking the surrounding area, the castle is Shkodër's most popular attraction. Three tour buses were parked at the bottom of the hill, with smaller vans shuttling passengers to the entrance uphill. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcMWuYYXBVfQNkaTVSAwPplPnS23jK57WKy2YQ1bU9O3mhNvX9Z-r4cBvMkZyWu_hwoeUvBj5V9cGFX9KlCSbfEwYIBWp3K6TaKSkMb-QA5R85ycMInnxNm2_XdFsTihhXsNXM6DRQcY/s1600/98399237-D8B8-4A3D-B596-E3B491A42F6A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcMWuYYXBVfQNkaTVSAwPplPnS23jK57WKy2YQ1bU9O3mhNvX9Z-r4cBvMkZyWu_hwoeUvBj5V9cGFX9KlCSbfEwYIBWp3K6TaKSkMb-QA5R85ycMInnxNm2_XdFsTihhXsNXM6DRQcY/s640/98399237-D8B8-4A3D-B596-E3B491A42F6A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Though the preserved ruins date from the 15th to 18th century period when the area was ruled by Venice, the hill has seen a series of fortifications since antiquity due to its strategic location at the confluence of two rivers. Local legend tells that three brothers built the first castle on this spot. Their initial construction efforts were in vain as day after day they returned to the building site to find the previous day's work had fallen down. Finally a clever man advised them to sacrifice someone near and dear to them and bury the person's remains in the foundation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpQxCsByYClcB3nhJNqYSE9Lej2Afv4KQYyFLl42LhVEF-xg84IaQOydOxqk2IIKakP5ZUG-xhaBZUJt9DtSMC0VGKNI3j7KJLBwghwoRFOPBxYhGVKZiSy_4CWL2W5GuzHu0_0PZIEM/s1600/28195F18-D1A4-4C27-9D30-04722C9199BE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpQxCsByYClcB3nhJNqYSE9Lej2Afv4KQYyFLl42LhVEF-xg84IaQOydOxqk2IIKakP5ZUG-xhaBZUJt9DtSMC0VGKNI3j7KJLBwghwoRFOPBxYhGVKZiSy_4CWL2W5GuzHu0_0PZIEM/s640/28195F18-D1A4-4C27-9D30-04722C9199BE.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
After they determined they should sacrifice one of their wives, none could decide which one. So they decided that whichever of the wives brought their lunch the following day would be selected. Unbeknownst to the youngest brother, his two elders warned their wives that evening not to make the delivery, so it was Rozafa, the wife of the youngest who gave her life and her name to the castle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-a-3ogRmuDaY-_Tnry61_NWusnLyHzS0HN26YvVrui_Yqmi2Kb5d7PAdRnumjHviWgNnErrb_ZN_1Ie6Tl7sxEIC79uSF32GoOR2IqKuTpRZ2Vh0kHYfLjCgGJ4POu3sl7OCQc8xqa-E/s1600/BBE80A13-3267-4296-9D78-E2F611F198D2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-a-3ogRmuDaY-_Tnry61_NWusnLyHzS0HN26YvVrui_Yqmi2Kb5d7PAdRnumjHviWgNnErrb_ZN_1Ie6Tl7sxEIC79uSF32GoOR2IqKuTpRZ2Vh0kHYfLjCgGJ4POu3sl7OCQc8xqa-E/s640/BBE80A13-3267-4296-9D78-E2F611F198D2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
As we were exploring the ruins, we had FAE #5, and it was a big one. A group of middle schoolers, visiting the city from their hometown of Elbasan in central Albania, overheard us conversing in English and a couple of boys boldly approached us and greeted us. "Hello. Hi. How are you?"<br />
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As we chatted with the guys, more kids joined the group until finally their chaperones signaled it was time for them to leave Rozafa. But not before a couple of the girls asked for a photo op with us. Unlike the U.S. and most places we've visited on this trip, in Albania, we see very few people with cell phones constantly in their hands. Only a few of kids in this group seemed to have mobiles.<br />
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Just an hour later we were driving out a scenic lakeside road when we spied a bus parked with a large group of kids nearby. What a surprise when we discovered it was our Elbasan middle school friends again. <br />
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We stopped and yelled out a hello, and soon our car was surrounded by the bubbly adolescents who were as curious about our lives as we were about theirs. In a fun role reversal, the ones who obviously filled the "cool kid" roles in the group had to defer to the "brainiacs" whose English skills were far better. We counted this as FAE #6, since we talked to some new kids and they were all so enthusiastic and so much fun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXyemk6w2MX0j5CoWb2e0MY1qaaZRs4tu-ekFy89VnWmU29DzAPsgZ3-9RorOVyqmc0LpAgBw-SXDGaKkvzPQL0-j3zMUnYMBpWSKR-hx7RqSZdeMkJBNHWsIcPnQIp7IZCtuMwRL1N8/s1600/471E1B31-2D70-46EB-B4C0-E309B658F379.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXyemk6w2MX0j5CoWb2e0MY1qaaZRs4tu-ekFy89VnWmU29DzAPsgZ3-9RorOVyqmc0LpAgBw-SXDGaKkvzPQL0-j3zMUnYMBpWSKR-hx7RqSZdeMkJBNHWsIcPnQIp7IZCtuMwRL1N8/s640/471E1B31-2D70-46EB-B4C0-E309B658F379.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Stephen's Cathedral</td></tr>
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Back in the city, we did a walking tour of some sites we had selected including the elegant Cathedral of St. Stephen. A portrait of Mother Teresa was prominently displayed near the altar. An ethnic Albanian, the Nobel Peace recipient was born in Skopje, Macedonia, and is especially revered in the southern Balkans as a native daughter as well as a saint. When we entered the church, a young couple was sitting in the back row with their toddler son. After I smiled at the youngster, the mom offered, "Hi, Hello." Since the church was mostly empty, I asked her if it were okay for me to approach the altar and take photos. "Is okay," she replied with a smile. FAE #7<br />
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At the risk of setting ourselves up as frontrunners for the 'Cynic of the Year' award, I must admit that, by this point, we had begun to wonder whether we had been been selected as unwitting subjects on some hidden camera Albanian TV show. We thought we had met friendly locals in Bulgaria and other countries, but nothing like we were experiencing in Albania. And here comes #8<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyY-Bd1Xw_RgNdInsEoP8muI_I-dOf21Siq6Q_jH2DRTOhECtEAEB-12rtcgOcP36k-mWwqcPokzYv086w2y0d2ehWlJJc3UyCcyxjRI1NdMH8YZY3taPT2eZ6tgBytJYf0ztXnyobDQ/s1600/D2BB8D6A-6DEF-4BB5-970B-10EF144473C7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyY-Bd1Xw_RgNdInsEoP8muI_I-dOf21Siq6Q_jH2DRTOhECtEAEB-12rtcgOcP36k-mWwqcPokzYv086w2y0d2ehWlJJc3UyCcyxjRI1NdMH8YZY3taPT2eZ6tgBytJYf0ztXnyobDQ/s640/D2BB8D6A-6DEF-4BB5-970B-10EF144473C7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna in the plaid shirt</td></tr>
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On our way out the door of the cathedral, another adolescent approached us with the now familiar friendly greeting: "Hello. Hi. How are you?" It was Anna, who told us she was visiting the city with "the sisters" and some other girls. We chatted with her and her friend Sarah for a few minutes, and our request to take their photo led Anna to gather the entire group for the shot.<br />
<br />
It seems fitting that our final FAE of the day took place in another restaurant. We wandered into Rozafa Seafood restaurant because it was busy and patrons at the sidewalk tables seemed to be enjoying their food. Our waiter Edward was FAE #9. Friendly and gregarious, he told us that his parents and sister both live in New York City. He would like to emigrate as well but has been unable to obtain a visa, even a temporary one to attend his sister's wedding in July.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhXhuUQKkRZKuyT3iUVa3SmaNQQSnywCb8lVny5ks1NusvcMdYTB226rlNilzQzJOe5S1D5zIefy_ohrL0d8-RHiFZ095EnuvwcDTRZRdh3c4Xng1N1NlvhKCfRhxxrtf0qWiKF96CI0/s1600/1FC2C33B-650C-4319-9FBC-822CF41CB1AB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhXhuUQKkRZKuyT3iUVa3SmaNQQSnywCb8lVny5ks1NusvcMdYTB226rlNilzQzJOe5S1D5zIefy_ohrL0d8-RHiFZ095EnuvwcDTRZRdh3c4Xng1N1NlvhKCfRhxxrtf0qWiKF96CI0/s400/1FC2C33B-650C-4319-9FBC-822CF41CB1AB.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching a video of Edward's wife singing on his cell phone</td></tr>
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With permission from his manager, Edward sat with us and chatted for about 20 minutes after we finished eating. Insisting that we must have the rakia experience, he brought a bottle to the table and poured a tiny amount in each glass. Unaccustomed as we are to imbibing hard alcohol, the 80-proof drink straight from the bottle was like liquid fire going down our throats. But, as much as we've heard about the famous beverage, we thanked Edward for the opportunity. I poured what was left after my tiny sip in his glass and he threw it down like the Albanian that he is.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow we'll leave Shkodër and drive south to Tirana, Albania's capital city, eager to see if the friendliness factor holds in the big city.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">SATURDAY, 5 MAY & SUNDAY, 6 MAY, 2018</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Two-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Podgorica, Montenegro<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Shkodër, Albania<br />
• <b>Miles driven: </b>115<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 10.4<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 61° to 79°, rain, sunny, partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Bicycles:</b> 1,724<br />
• <b>Goats on the road:</b> 24<br />
• <b>Mercedes brand cars:</b> 56%<br />
• <b>Smiling immigration agents:</b> 1 (Total for trip: 1)<br />
• <b>Street dogs:</b> 347<br />
• <b>Quote of the Day:</b> (Ken's voice command to the GPS) "Hey, Garmin. Help us out!"<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Loved:</b> The feeling of welcome extended to us over and over by Albanians.<br />
<b><br />
Lacking: </b> The ability to avoid questionable roads<br />
<br />
<b>Learned: </b> Even considering how much American television, movies and other widely distributed media influence global tastes and trends, we're constantly surprised and amused by experiences that result from our viewing the world through an American lens. At dinner this evening, Ken ordered spaghetti marinara. In an American version of an "Italian restaurant," he would have been served long thin noodles with a vegetarian tomato sauce. Instead, Edward delivered a steaming plate of noodles artfully surrounded by mussels and clams. (**Forehead slap**) Of course, it was obvious then that, translated from Italian, marinara would refer to seafood, not tomatoes. </div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Albania (and a few from Montenegro)</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmf3Ga8QLSz_6MTsdwZjmJgx659deULlDQPCg83jfhsU5qDOFargbmrPJCYroBAzPXVRDQJPtusSIXXotPU0cKhfDB2p4JaNbJEqPf4tgfeXKsseOEOB6nxFXKRKwZ5EJW95Ineqpirw/s1600/7A779370-393A-49C2-BCD5-1FC08F2B3FE0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmf3Ga8QLSz_6MTsdwZjmJgx659deULlDQPCg83jfhsU5qDOFargbmrPJCYroBAzPXVRDQJPtusSIXXotPU0cKhfDB2p4JaNbJEqPf4tgfeXKsseOEOB6nxFXKRKwZ5EJW95Ineqpirw/s640/7A779370-393A-49C2-BCD5-1FC08F2B3FE0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We met a nice young Podgorican couple at an overlook, and he insisted on taking our photo for us. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCDl6soEhihFEABS2in_KUMK61t5QWPhlNAqxG4Kmn-kWNKi66hSR9ylRko1LglAk_LmGsAGB454J0RNgbEaKG5Fycx_HGHOWtUM9Bryb_vBfDP4Cirzk9OugO4ywVfbzg8d3zklRN24/s1600/B7F41C4B-C719-4595-A90B-7E252586634C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCDl6soEhihFEABS2in_KUMK61t5QWPhlNAqxG4Kmn-kWNKi66hSR9ylRko1LglAk_LmGsAGB454J0RNgbEaKG5Fycx_HGHOWtUM9Bryb_vBfDP4Cirzk9OugO4ywVfbzg8d3zklRN24/s640/B7F41C4B-C719-4595-A90B-7E252586634C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World War II monument near Rijeka Crnojevića</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelBR7C_r6PaUcRVL9fHAXmG65jlB8vM-PcHaJFBUAI5op8U0SS9rRymP8S7CK39S4NIDz1O0j6GUrnpYI9f9A-M3kwcoFngJ4hgDlMuuI6EW64j7KDssldpuS6-K0BHvQWaVfIPFSQ8Y/s1600/995CEC2B-2812-400B-A8A7-317222CBB210.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelBR7C_r6PaUcRVL9fHAXmG65jlB8vM-PcHaJFBUAI5op8U0SS9rRymP8S7CK39S4NIDz1O0j6GUrnpYI9f9A-M3kwcoFngJ4hgDlMuuI6EW64j7KDssldpuS6-K0BHvQWaVfIPFSQ8Y/s640/995CEC2B-2812-400B-A8A7-317222CBB210.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of Mes Bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHv-PpyBqd7p4aUXX6fM1k4BPR0wLZ96LG7mhuTRQI9vBrz-RbmPSd2EBLJzmUKDDirA5YHo-taJNi9_w7vpu1nHCa00k9rjR86lXQ_8qxE348glwOpWdRwqUI0FPdE83tTX5aWo4N0Q/s1600/67A05111-13A6-4D66-B981-4802B3DD038D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHv-PpyBqd7p4aUXX6fM1k4BPR0wLZ96LG7mhuTRQI9vBrz-RbmPSd2EBLJzmUKDDirA5YHo-taJNi9_w7vpu1nHCa00k9rjR86lXQ_8qxE348glwOpWdRwqUI0FPdE83tTX5aWo4N0Q/s640/67A05111-13A6-4D66-B981-4802B3DD038D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sharing the road with a herd of goats in Mes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FDytujzCNLI6OHDCFzZPbVjJHByrXGBpJFK5vMt3BeY1-_sZ15r5embwwSBe0P1PTFDIaM83-9L1E94VmCnlqVfjGunxP48mI3ElYH8JQQ5HjCbefk3wmN4gfxadcfjzROAgqdS8IxU/s1600/91834FC5-D863-44E7-A3AE-2D8E304A8BC1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FDytujzCNLI6OHDCFzZPbVjJHByrXGBpJFK5vMt3BeY1-_sZ15r5embwwSBe0P1PTFDIaM83-9L1E94VmCnlqVfjGunxP48mI3ElYH8JQQ5HjCbefk3wmN4gfxadcfjzROAgqdS8IxU/s640/91834FC5-D863-44E7-A3AE-2D8E304A8BC1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You never know what you may encounter on Albanian roads.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjmEY6lA0-gBpr7KJarEUONBzsero_wJWDrCfoxTsALF2iYmP6ND-EIacP01xw3mTuRXYo5MUK3u0E_96NvCCgfBEO5G4RkaKByw2sc9wY4BIgfR_17gU-QxASq1VWd10EvODc6CNHXo/s1600/C6E768F2-457E-4531-8329-78297121D1C4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjmEY6lA0-gBpr7KJarEUONBzsero_wJWDrCfoxTsALF2iYmP6ND-EIacP01xw3mTuRXYo5MUK3u0E_96NvCCgfBEO5G4RkaKByw2sc9wY4BIgfR_17gU-QxASq1VWd10EvODc6CNHXo/s640/C6E768F2-457E-4531-8329-78297121D1C4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone shares the road, no matter their vehicle (or their species, for that matter).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GU-tO2yeB9nb0i1KpwfF-p6uhcAFtax_qvcDVNbDD70LEK6gXjZFB7eVmaXc2zwf19u7rcVuGDXTbvyUsCljdNMgSHvNz7Z5SLN7vCluW5FDBFUCxNKepBF1zEU0Qkj4X6qNiupop2k/s1600/25432136-874A-4973-938E-E1641D8DB5EC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GU-tO2yeB9nb0i1KpwfF-p6uhcAFtax_qvcDVNbDD70LEK6gXjZFB7eVmaXc2zwf19u7rcVuGDXTbvyUsCljdNMgSHvNz7Z5SLN7vCluW5FDBFUCxNKepBF1zEU0Qkj4X6qNiupop2k/s640/25432136-874A-4973-938E-E1641D8DB5EC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruins of an Ottoman era mosque at Rozafa Castle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkTIDK81EBbf4EkOOB6-Qj7TFtt08OkFmS9-cLbn1PIjpY-Ivxl8uPBY_gytpH-82E7e80KlZ0VA6UAaER9B9KHBANgFflK1fcD_o102snDx7I-jpbXb4kJNRbP6TzXoPeHW40nAybmQ/s1600/07E91678-F5EB-44C6-9CCD-67083E5876EF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkTIDK81EBbf4EkOOB6-Qj7TFtt08OkFmS9-cLbn1PIjpY-Ivxl8uPBY_gytpH-82E7e80KlZ0VA6UAaER9B9KHBANgFflK1fcD_o102snDx7I-jpbXb4kJNRbP6TzXoPeHW40nAybmQ/s640/07E91678-F5EB-44C6-9CCD-67083E5876EF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top of Rozafa hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoI3KoQEQtipj8Bu4stj_PwzjXCmZfnox7q1pLRAROipnOCakbtJDrf1XfUFGfMv61od9gvZsjyi8z4yDm5LBeo4mhFl7d31386L6bgem_v-4trXH-7DaxZrxMUUnhZbahB3SsW3yfDw/s1600/8B6963CD-C853-4F4D-95DB-6535A592A7E0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIoI3KoQEQtipj8Bu4stj_PwzjXCmZfnox7q1pLRAROipnOCakbtJDrf1XfUFGfMv61od9gvZsjyi8z4yDm5LBeo4mhFl7d31386L6bgem_v-4trXH-7DaxZrxMUUnhZbahB3SsW3yfDw/s640/8B6963CD-C853-4F4D-95DB-6535A592A7E0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Rozafa view</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBD_L7kMniwr7DRc1wO_LHcOeQOkSJXRQQaLu6hE37vWCaLesj_ju0c-bWdyiNFG80c5jLUqBqxPpnDxVfI22rbKULC_4qahoml_TJQRu4vHNNx4goo2911at2_v4cfZU-fl33S5Ia7N8/s1600/9E9A4C78-80D8-408D-A569-264C2EFC5415.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBD_L7kMniwr7DRc1wO_LHcOeQOkSJXRQQaLu6hE37vWCaLesj_ju0c-bWdyiNFG80c5jLUqBqxPpnDxVfI22rbKULC_4qahoml_TJQRu4vHNNx4goo2911at2_v4cfZU-fl33S5Ia7N8/s640/9E9A4C78-80D8-408D-A569-264C2EFC5415.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pair of the hundreds of street dogs in Shkodër. Even they were friendly, or at least docile. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrm4vTrNqDUWc-lLjchd-9jXQESWvrOV9evz08Y4k2m26mBIgihJkq6ILkXCz_MjIupHspbK1Y38yvLWAgMwkwpdSEnw48kU7blNpGyutDmy_tqVOvc8yCFs39JXOn8cwVpco05KYvFw/s1600/12072B39-CF0B-4653-98E2-7EEFF7896FAE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrm4vTrNqDUWc-lLjchd-9jXQESWvrOV9evz08Y4k2m26mBIgihJkq6ILkXCz_MjIupHspbK1Y38yvLWAgMwkwpdSEnw48kU7blNpGyutDmy_tqVOvc8yCFs39JXOn8cwVpco05KYvFw/s640/12072B39-CF0B-4653-98E2-7EEFF7896FAE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of several pedestrian streets. Ebu Bekr Mosque on left.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comShkodër, Albania42.0692985 19.503255941.974993000000005 19.341894399999997 42.163604 19.6646174tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-54347108500177163472018-05-04T14:02:00.002-04:002018-05-06T14:34:31.511-04:00Far from the Madding Crowd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 19: IN WHICH WE CAST OUR LOT WITH UNESCO<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 38-40: Dubrovnik, Croatia to Podgorica, Montenegro.</strong> As we left Dubrovnik and Croatia behind, we breathed a sigh of relief, confident we about to escape the crush of overcrowding caused by supersized hordes of tourists. We should not have been so optimistic. Though we didn't jump into the fire, the heat under the frying pan was only slightly reduced.<br />
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On our way out of Croatia, we did find a road less traveled. In our journeys, we have learned that a sign with white lettering on a brown background is a universal indicator of information for tourists. More often than not, we find that they point us toward interesting places, many of which had not made it onto our radar. As we were covering the last few miles in Croatia, we were lured off track by signs for Sokol Tower, an old defensive fort dating back to the 1400s. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sokol Tower</td></tr>
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Sited in an easily protected location just below a crag of vertical cliffs and overlooking the valley and road below, the medieval fortification dominated the fertile plains of the area. It has recently been refurbished as a tourist attraction but is in such an out-of-the-way location, it doesn't attract big crowds. Several museum style exhibit areas within the fort were brilliantly curated and displayed artifacts found in the area.<br />
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Since we're still out of Europe's open-border Schengen Zone, every transition to another country involves passport control and at least a nominal customs screening. At our first checkpoint on the journey from Croatia to Montenegro, our exit from Croatia was stamped in our passports and we were waved through about five minutes after stopping behind a couple of cars in line ahead of us. <br />
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A few miles and minutes later, we screeched to a halt at the border of Montenegro. Presumably, the Montenegrin checkpoint was processing the exact same cars that the Croatian agents had examined. However, we sat in line for an hour before clearing passport control into Montenegro. Admittedly, our progress was slowed somewhat by the motorcyclists and bicyclists (and even a pedestrian!) who boldly rode right around the long line of cars waiting and took their rightful spots at the head of the queue. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some lengthy welcome ceremony</td></tr>
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When we finally reached the immigration agent, he examined our car rental papers and proof of insurance, stamped our passports, and sent us on our way. Why some of the vehicles in front of us had taken upwards of 15 minutes, we never figured out.<br />
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Slightly larger than Connecticut, Montenegro's landscape ranges from high mountain peaks to a narrow coastal plain. The country's mountains include some of the most rugged terrain in Europe, averaging more than 6,600 feet. Like Dubrovnik, the coastal city of Kotor has its roots in the ancient world, and its well-preserved Old Town has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. We hoped that would be where the similarities ended.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kotor Old Town</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, it was not. The predatory cruise ships and tour buses have discovered Kotor and overrun it in a manner that also has UNESCO threatening to withdraw its endorsement due to the damage inflicted on historical sites by so many large groups of visitors. Like in Dubrovnik, we took it as a challenge to find quieter spots within the crowded old city. Apparently the entrance fee was a deterrent because we found ourselves alone in St. Tryphon's Cathedral.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Tryphon's Cathedral, Kotor</td></tr>
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Consecrated in 1166, the Roman Catholic cathedral was named for Saint Tryphon, the patron and protector of the city. The church has been repeatedly reconstructed after heavy damage by several earthquakes. When the entire frontage was destroyed in 1667, the baroque bell towers were added. The left one was not completed due to lack of funding.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Tryphon's interior</td></tr>
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The Romanesque interior preserves a few remnants of 14th century frescoes and, on upper floors, houses an excellent museum and a sizable treasury of relics. I must confess a fascination with the religious custom of displaying body parts of saints or venerated persons, even though it is not part of my particular religious beliefs. It reminds me of the locks of hair saved from first haircuts and other such memorabilia, but this is on another scale and I rather like the idea of preserving some physical remnant of a person who has departed this life. Especially impressive are the ornate containers, often designed to depict the body part from which the bone or organ is preserved.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZawNm9lCOol7m0aCi26TwsTdCJtgzWUB6OB8UvsMF8DvM2tQFFqUNGAm-9IiGmZLMB0cSRlwhwgcagr72JmHCJDMjybHm0BNdXemDJ3nQuCqG4yz7m3wVE2kaJq794gCNKa4SJ86ci8/s1600/B506C342-BB44-4953-86E8-1189596BF98C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZawNm9lCOol7m0aCi26TwsTdCJtgzWUB6OB8UvsMF8DvM2tQFFqUNGAm-9IiGmZLMB0cSRlwhwgcagr72JmHCJDMjybHm0BNdXemDJ3nQuCqG4yz7m3wVE2kaJq794gCNKa4SJ86ci8/s640/B506C342-BB44-4953-86E8-1189596BF98C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relics in St. Tryphon's treasury</td></tr>
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By far, the most impressive display of this sort we have seen was in the Church of St. Blaise in Dubrovnik. On exhibit in a glass case in a side chapel is the incorruptible body of Saint Silvan, a Christian martyr who died between 300 and 350 A.D.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Silvan on display at Church of St. Blaise in Dubrovnik</td></tr>
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Seventeen centuries after his death, his body apparently has not decayed due to his purity and incorruptibility. With his head leaned back on a pillow, a brutal gash across his neck suggests how he may have died. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKe5eKp57Hb-dhAIbBvgrz9etLhNr_8ghzHR-UHMMR1ZjbriwL6vAXo-ZslR91VamdtU299SJXkc7fNhJV2S2gcqRtEakWjvmgb7AMoT_bm4QzP0lANuGhGA-d1zb6Es0r6ZQccu9U90/s1600/0313A8D9-A5A3-4921-8D23-66A3ACF93E16.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKe5eKp57Hb-dhAIbBvgrz9etLhNr_8ghzHR-UHMMR1ZjbriwL6vAXo-ZslR91VamdtU299SJXkc7fNhJV2S2gcqRtEakWjvmgb7AMoT_bm4QzP0lANuGhGA-d1zb6Es0r6ZQccu9U90/s640/0313A8D9-A5A3-4921-8D23-66A3ACF93E16.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hotel in Tivat</td></tr>
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But back to Montenegro. We did stay in Kotor long enough to grab a quick lunch before retreating to the smaller, less touristed town of Tivat, where we had booked a room in a quaint inn on the bay. By the time we checked in, we knew we had no desire to return to Kotor, and the vibe in Tivat was too beach town for us, so—against all advice we had read—we decided to move on after one night and bump our visit to Montenegro's capital city to two nights.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of Ciphur, Cetinje</td></tr>
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Though the distance from Tivat to Podgorica is only 55 miles, the roads were winding and, as we discovered, there was much to see. We stopped on a whim in the town of Cetinje and found that we had stumbled upon Montenegro's old royal capital, where only a handful of small tourist groups were visiting. Even today the country's president resides in the Blue Palace, a former royal residence, in Cetinje, just a 40-minute drive from the capital. (No, not the Montenegrin leader that President Trump famously and rudely shoved out of the way to claim a place in the front row of a photo at a NATO summit. That was the prime minister.) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaXAVBOJCfF1-s9l_lOQVfSBdXcyK7MrlL2STj77S5bZFrjxRWN6n-cb5-Lp07BYCRWsOQFhJWWOx4eWxG1hmO9a7qDOs6xi4w2ft8LT8ohFQp8MYssTA6FpErRPAiQ9VeZ9npqKjNyg/s1600/AB80127B-D6E7-4C43-81A5-68F4324EB4E2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaXAVBOJCfF1-s9l_lOQVfSBdXcyK7MrlL2STj77S5bZFrjxRWN6n-cb5-Lp07BYCRWsOQFhJWWOx4eWxG1hmO9a7qDOs6xi4w2ft8LT8ohFQp8MYssTA6FpErRPAiQ9VeZ9npqKjNyg/s640/AB80127B-D6E7-4C43-81A5-68F4324EB4E2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cetinje Monastery</td></tr>
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Another important site in Cetinje is the eponymous Montenegrin Orthodox monastery established in 1704 by Prince-Bishop Danilo I on the site of a medieval monastery destroyed ten years earlier. In 1692, Venice was in control of Cetinje, its troops using the old monastery as a garrison. When Turkish forces threatened to attack, the Venetians surrendered and abandoned the monastery, leaving behind explosives which were timed to go off just as the Ottoman troops arrived.<br />
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The current monastery is said to house some of Christianity's most valuable relics in its treasury, including the right hand of John the Baptist and a piece of the original crucifixion cross. When we asked, we were told that the treasury was closed. A language barrier prevented our learning more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCf8hdZOY4rJzc6WS_hAhYIpkmKwFiT3jigqVRLKyJWRZ8iBGmltoGHMWmn9BfcFKPNDKPCA393gPqAFxxnCO5BhPl8Rlk40GTSb2wblWSrj6fTOnUK9rwfa0kWpXj9iXhzwS3solM-U/s1600/F83A2B32-FBE6-4578-94FC-BB1A9BB3226A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCf8hdZOY4rJzc6WS_hAhYIpkmKwFiT3jigqVRLKyJWRZ8iBGmltoGHMWmn9BfcFKPNDKPCA393gPqAFxxnCO5BhPl8Rlk40GTSb2wblWSrj6fTOnUK9rwfa0kWpXj9iXhzwS3solM-U/s640/F83A2B32-FBE6-4578-94FC-BB1A9BB3226A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Nikola I monument in Podgorica</td></tr>
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From its inception in the late 1600s, Montenegro was ruled by a series of prince-bishops of the Petrović-Njegoš family. Since Orthodox bishops must remain celibate, the hereditary succession passed from uncle to nephew. For this to work, each generation of the family needed to have two sons. The elder would become prince-bishop, while the younger would marry and, of necessity to make the system work, sire two sons. Incredibly, this worked out for 150 years until Prince-Bishop Danilo II decided he wanted to marry and changed his title to Prince. His successor, Nikola I, took things a step further and promoted himself from prince to king. Even today, his descendants have a ceremonial role under Montenegrin law.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wyvShPJqNdd4pFl3pUGePkkD8JUeLF7GCM1wBGfGvlY8ldqI_KPL34MHMAVsKY5uO_z_cY9eoMahpbvZmvKHtsQ-gugDEsPT0m1g_oDvmayIHDC6ODoAcPhn7Xm2mfqrjTTXCwAk1gc/s1600/A74316B3-5684-4195-A997-BEC72BAFBBB4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wyvShPJqNdd4pFl3pUGePkkD8JUeLF7GCM1wBGfGvlY8ldqI_KPL34MHMAVsKY5uO_z_cY9eoMahpbvZmvKHtsQ-gugDEsPT0m1g_oDvmayIHDC6ODoAcPhn7Xm2mfqrjTTXCwAk1gc/s640/A74316B3-5684-4195-A997-BEC72BAFBBB4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomb of Petar II</td></tr>
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From Cetinje, we headed off to Lovćen National Park and the mausoleum housing another member of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty, Petar II. A beloved political and cultural leader, Petar was a popular poet and philosopher in addition to his role as leader of the country and the church. After the small chapel built under his direction for his remains was destroyed in war, his body was moved to the top of this mountain in another small chapel. A century later, the humble resting place was replaced by a dramatic building suitable for such a national hero.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWYckG7ISNtZX89ove7SJxOrIsj6vFLD5VdZv0mwVNG3LYe99pjJX6Z1-MLk0UHgLDo5QqSv5DdXtg6NuZBpt8GS9M3cPZxzfk5g56qwxqsejeCw4BO2I86-Hgsa1kvqLM9ELxtUqeDM/s1600/88D91BE1-E997-46D8-AA8A-90C540D5865A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWYckG7ISNtZX89ove7SJxOrIsj6vFLD5VdZv0mwVNG3LYe99pjJX6Z1-MLk0UHgLDo5QqSv5DdXtg6NuZBpt8GS9M3cPZxzfk5g56qwxqsejeCw4BO2I86-Hgsa1kvqLM9ELxtUqeDM/s640/88D91BE1-E997-46D8-AA8A-90C540D5865A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 20-ft granite statue of Petar II in the room which holds his remains</td></tr>
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Visitors to the mausoleum must climb a set of 461 steps through a tunnel from the 15-car parking area to the top of the mountain. From the mausoleum, a path leads to a 360° stone viewing circle. At this summit, visitors can see more than half of the tiny country. On a clear day, it is said, even Croatia and Albania are visible. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcm_8TcRbwoPBvnm6-caRgE0sPHIIXJsX8f7vkcAG2Cv9hKHJvtcqVNtL80xN1ryBQq59dszroAFsXRvZqNghNfM7mj5lvoEpQt9Btp2Fd8dov8Y8q9PP8FWrOIcHcJ2-UuEzifGd-Sqg/s1600/653A8F70-8EBA-4BE0-BCE8-063649DDF83D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcm_8TcRbwoPBvnm6-caRgE0sPHIIXJsX8f7vkcAG2Cv9hKHJvtcqVNtL80xN1ryBQq59dszroAFsXRvZqNghNfM7mj5lvoEpQt9Btp2Fd8dov8Y8q9PP8FWrOIcHcJ2-UuEzifGd-Sqg/s640/653A8F70-8EBA-4BE0-BCE8-063649DDF83D.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viewing circle from the mausoleum</td></tr>
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Everything we had read or heard about Montenegro's capital city of Podgorica suggested it was not a place to spend much time. In fact, we saw more than one reference to "the most boring capital city in Europe" (even though others had awarded that title to Moldova's Chișinău). When we arrived at our Podgorica hotel, we asked the reception staff to tell us the top places we must see in the city. Initially they appeared to be stumped, as if we had asked them to recite the periodic table. <br />
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Eventually they came up with a short list, which we later added to with a bit of help from our favorite tour guide, Google. After a full day spent exploring the city, we would definitely vote to have it stripped of its "most boring" title—unless that might attract tour companies. We really liked the slower vibe and lack of large tourist groups.<br />
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With our hotel centrally located in the compact city, we began with a self-guided walking tour. First on our list was the old Roman Bridge, the oldest span in Podgorica. Built in the days when the area was ruled by Rome, the bridge underwent a major reconstruction in the 1700s.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPkXnq6D861MMvYH9Fc3NfOkrjWyzRu5JFSgH3n0Nd6BR23FdRU7eIEqkMcw-9My0CkjkMq5mmyHHe62FD1wI6KJuo5PP_AhAfE2j4TB9k6CsqI35_FCY0P-AsdXBVASar2KXmDMPnX0/s1600/63BF4709-B00D-444B-809E-E5E981996B57.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPkXnq6D861MMvYH9Fc3NfOkrjWyzRu5JFSgH3n0Nd6BR23FdRU7eIEqkMcw-9My0CkjkMq5mmyHHe62FD1wI6KJuo5PP_AhAfE2j4TB9k6CsqI35_FCY0P-AsdXBVASar2KXmDMPnX0/s640/63BF4709-B00D-444B-809E-E5E981996B57.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Roman Bridge</td></tr>
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The bridge spans the Ribnica River near the spot where it flows into the larger Morača River, the main water artery through the city. Nearby are the ruins of a fortification dating back to Roman times and later rebuilt by the Ottomans. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mxO2bWfK2QhQUq1k-MA30asHFnmJhBDgtgOm8VxBBUVQVpRdzWAMRcn7vVZoDh-gufKnIj5pTjFCxhOrRb9UGAEyN3X_8z7YYPFt-HZCdw_0hR20Xs1qpJ1Q01OOjY_-8WWM5u_nlP4/s1600/BDAE375A-4E02-4405-A1B6-9E1EEB7A5DFA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mxO2bWfK2QhQUq1k-MA30asHFnmJhBDgtgOm8VxBBUVQVpRdzWAMRcn7vVZoDh-gufKnIj5pTjFCxhOrRb9UGAEyN3X_8z7YYPFt-HZCdw_0hR20Xs1qpJ1Q01OOjY_-8WWM5u_nlP4/s640/BDAE375A-4E02-4405-A1B6-9E1EEB7A5DFA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Podgorica Town Hall</td></tr>
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On our way to check out the city's Millennium Bridge, we passed the stately town hall and national theater. As the country's capital and largest city, Podgorica is home to numerous cultural and government institutions. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aCdHFULwMbmG5_Cv3xjd1BiZhi5_Ewh8g1nZM5D8srynWEZB3dTtTHFl5KoFbhjpoHaNPooLUfV8UmjPtsxmEt4DqmYKywh5z4egb7VzegzAS1_uVWMlQ10tqbVNMzHBWQepZSnIhLw/s1600/280F416E-43A4-4516-8842-41F5DA2BE9D5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_aCdHFULwMbmG5_Cv3xjd1BiZhi5_Ewh8g1nZM5D8srynWEZB3dTtTHFl5KoFbhjpoHaNPooLUfV8UmjPtsxmEt4DqmYKywh5z4egb7VzegzAS1_uVWMlQ10tqbVNMzHBWQepZSnIhLw/s640/280F416E-43A4-4516-8842-41F5DA2BE9D5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millennium Bridge</td></tr>
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To alleviate congestion on the city's other bridges, Montenegro commissioned the Millennium Bridge in 2005. Designed and built by a Slovenian firm, the bridge opened just a year before Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia in 2006. With its striking design, the structure was quickly established as a symbol of the city.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhS6aI20Os5RpbXYmx7G7aPyNih8IHNq2Cg0ochCpdbIP7dHUk516fSfDlXPVgV3Tj0-BFAD1djqPR3aezMJSA3U8JvSXLKD2sOKWV5hHDFH9v_iNqu7Y2PMtE_Nz6-U8Lq1pzTt8e_ZI/s1600/3CC5C89D-E359-4888-87F7-5A4EF5C21238.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhS6aI20Os5RpbXYmx7G7aPyNih8IHNq2Cg0ochCpdbIP7dHUk516fSfDlXPVgV3Tj0-BFAD1djqPR3aezMJSA3U8JvSXLKD2sOKWV5hHDFH9v_iNqu7Y2PMtE_Nz6-U8Lq1pzTt8e_ZI/s640/3CC5C89D-E359-4888-87F7-5A4EF5C21238.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Podgorica's Clock Tower</td></tr>
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Though we knew from our research that much of the city had been destroyed by both Axis and Allied bombing in World War II, we nonetheless wandered south along the river in search of what some had described as Old Town. Only after wandering the area for some 40 minutes did we come to realize that Podgorica's version is primarily residential, not the warren of cramped lanes lined with shops and cafes we've found in other Old Towns. The freestanding clock tower from the Ottoman period is really all that remains of its old commercial area.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7-dGnEGfxhchEP0fIVvpOwoMHnW0RTZCRBQmBZC6ASnb6Ns6nyiPPw35nAPbIlHnVGIstio48Dk89AMx_ufnJcZwcfyZL-N3_IIiWgcHG3XA4mX3sfJGdEK7HA9_bQDEDf3PUvI0sTo/s1600/2329E35A-E156-424A-83CD-02851B2FC292.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7-dGnEGfxhchEP0fIVvpOwoMHnW0RTZCRBQmBZC6ASnb6Ns6nyiPPw35nAPbIlHnVGIstio48Dk89AMx_ufnJcZwcfyZL-N3_IIiWgcHG3XA4mX3sfJGdEK7HA9_bQDEDf3PUvI0sTo/s640/2329E35A-E156-424A-83CD-02851B2FC292.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Narrow residential street in Podgorica's old town</td></tr>
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Back near our hotel, in the heart of the city, we checked out King's Park, established in 1910 to commemorate Nikola's self-promotion to king. In 2013, the park underwent a major renovation financed by the Azerbaijan government. The park now includes a bust of a famous Azeri poet and a statue of a former Azerbaijan president, one of several erected in friendly countries at the Azeri government's expense. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-KISRgUW08HwykZhMNxoHfn9-i0rXtYsW-Bn7XvetCeQq45X2ULZQi8-BZ0mZRCm90Wc6FbhgSJ0hyFTAcudOKhQARgk3Oqf-CgchqZ_nR6FY5G-CTkBQmBqWViEOXP2f_SKAgLcAyk/s1600/C377A674-6B67-4485-B0DE-B94703D2E4EC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-KISRgUW08HwykZhMNxoHfn9-i0rXtYsW-Bn7XvetCeQq45X2ULZQi8-BZ0mZRCm90Wc6FbhgSJ0hyFTAcudOKhQARgk3Oqf-CgchqZ_nR6FY5G-CTkBQmBqWViEOXP2f_SKAgLcAyk/s640/C377A674-6B67-4485-B0DE-B94703D2E4EC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reconstructed fountain in King's Park now includes colorful evening lights.</td></tr>
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After completing our walking tour at the hotel where our rental car was waiting, we were off for the driving part of our Podgorica circuit. Our first stop was Cijevna River Waterfall, a ten-minute drive from the city center. The river is a narrow strip that has cut deeply through the soft limestone karst landscape. At this point, the river drops dramatically, forming an impressive waterfall. On the riverbank, an enterprising entrepreneur opened a restaurant and named it Niagara. The moniker has come to be associated with the cascade, now often called Niagara Falls.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtVN1Jhi2OJIM6yh9gpa7H0LxeUCcxntocJWlh-w8Bu2UsjsoHjvy43xjH9CexzGOOB0KEss9PHVy0G8szVaJbAhtljDCKyjZzDuXpf_O5YQR3BCaC-OB8bDuYvTZOqVQM857i0MwvxU/s1600/4D8918E0-9CE3-4C27-B713-EC2B63D87D96.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLtVN1Jhi2OJIM6yh9gpa7H0LxeUCcxntocJWlh-w8Bu2UsjsoHjvy43xjH9CexzGOOB0KEss9PHVy0G8szVaJbAhtljDCKyjZzDuXpf_O5YQR3BCaC-OB8bDuYvTZOqVQM857i0MwvxU/s640/4D8918E0-9CE3-4C27-B713-EC2B63D87D96.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cijevna River Falls</td></tr>
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From the falls, we drove to the city's oldest church, a tiny Orthodox structure named for St. George. Sitting behind fortified walls on the lower slopes of the city's Gorica Hill, the church shelters the faded remains of frescoes painted centuries ago. Though the church itself is well cared for, the neglected cemetery behind has been retaken by nature.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgmI-E1SebJypFlxVOOlJ3zbKsy6RqOnf97DAusJm2KUMeTlyO4TMdrzWMrFWAeDNLH7qzqZLQvTb7b_KAP5_Qk_nRQ_j0keFnAFptPlxn9o4wMcukyu4FmLpd1gIXITnvQmzPkQFAp4/s1600/9C5473D1-8CEB-4E7F-A918-9334A8E1F001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgmI-E1SebJypFlxVOOlJ3zbKsy6RqOnf97DAusJm2KUMeTlyO4TMdrzWMrFWAeDNLH7qzqZLQvTb7b_KAP5_Qk_nRQ_j0keFnAFptPlxn9o4wMcukyu4FmLpd1gIXITnvQmzPkQFAp4/s640/9C5473D1-8CEB-4E7F-A918-9334A8E1F001.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. George Church</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lGHaBxPFHxSEVxs4F-bLPYhG-s0km4HfZZiE1P3auRO8WjmaB_hDYQafO5OSf8rpN6Gm9IXWF5aoYr4WctcJRJvMIxAF3XOy1uRu-ZEw6VSFi9Hg3p4iZ_Kd9-HkpXCpPBg1IwVIHDI/s1600/FD6C9335-EB8D-43C2-8DF1-D6C2D5A6BC8C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lGHaBxPFHxSEVxs4F-bLPYhG-s0km4HfZZiE1P3auRO8WjmaB_hDYQafO5OSf8rpN6Gm9IXWF5aoYr4WctcJRJvMIxAF3XOy1uRu-ZEw6VSFi9Hg3p4iZ_Kd9-HkpXCpPBg1IwVIHDI/s640/FD6C9335-EB8D-43C2-8DF1-D6C2D5A6BC8C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient frescoes with new iconostasis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfjY97DyRc5WTI3tZYGh4I-6QVXRUejbAXXUeQxv5FJA4SjexZbY_YpUZYnVLuMJ72yyIWeQdYsfB3fVyBwghoTzd2v0CucCfCzCWlQIOjz9psObYaYS0-tmtjQO-j-KO61HvOxbxug8/s1600/786684E2-00B2-4CF0-9922-2D894840C1B6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfjY97DyRc5WTI3tZYGh4I-6QVXRUejbAXXUeQxv5FJA4SjexZbY_YpUZYnVLuMJ72yyIWeQdYsfB3fVyBwghoTzd2v0CucCfCzCWlQIOjz9psObYaYS0-tmtjQO-j-KO61HvOxbxug8/s640/786684E2-00B2-4CF0-9922-2D894840C1B6.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only the graves closest to the church can be reached without bushwhacking. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
For a city with nothing to see, we were finding quite a bit to look at. At each of our stops, we were either the only visitors or among a handful. Just a few minutes away from the city we checked out the ruins of Doclea, a Roman town founded in the first decade of the first century A.D. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_XL8OUn9oWrjk983_DkBmDoK0wCa3RqXKcKi9ECv3V63-Nzpc8nwM_j-mfA8iL7GSvxs6JAGQ4BktxgHSrzmkbqXXGdVj35o6eMtFEFKfdEgJekael_fYETvQfWu-_FYS1swArkvdmo/s1600/20F236F2-CF66-4338-BF47-54F49187B0EA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_XL8OUn9oWrjk983_DkBmDoK0wCa3RqXKcKi9ECv3V63-Nzpc8nwM_j-mfA8iL7GSvxs6JAGQ4BktxgHSrzmkbqXXGdVj35o6eMtFEFKfdEgJekael_fYETvQfWu-_FYS1swArkvdmo/s640/20F236F2-CF66-4338-BF47-54F49187B0EA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2,000-year-old artifacts in a field at the town site</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0wfxE_L0e5JzY0FK-ShDL_yBCfbyojSv17WWPpdTQOchg3Q_pEZvp8EOI5_eJSnrXsYndo2n-wM58ZgLKadOrg2hdcbRNGI7e2ETS3bTBlDRMYOXGIAE6OFU6yN_bFzGAeMeCLjJi1A/s1600/5B4FD3B3-773D-4250-ADAB-289CCB7DA1C2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0wfxE_L0e5JzY0FK-ShDL_yBCfbyojSv17WWPpdTQOchg3Q_pEZvp8EOI5_eJSnrXsYndo2n-wM58ZgLKadOrg2hdcbRNGI7e2ETS3bTBlDRMYOXGIAE6OFU6yN_bFzGAeMeCLjJi1A/s640/5B4FD3B3-773D-4250-ADAB-289CCB7DA1C2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doclea site had just two visitors when we were there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The town grew to a population of 40,000 before it was attacked repeatedly by barbarian tribes and finally destroyed in a severe earthquake in the year 518. Today the ruins are unprotected but an application has been submitted to UNESCO to obtain World Heritage status for Doclea.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqO0ZwZK5P2pDlcLEKj1LSau2_NEs9E_mPknVeAOhs47SU-xRUDNBQT7vvKg77tmTVE2B1dmThcZvryuVj-EIMPsds7wXrQdN0YSIOAhZMQMnix6sIdoayo9fMLdg3ZX64kmRKzDc2ac/s1600/3FAAE1ED-4F5B-43DB-859F-8AC3CA321427.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqO0ZwZK5P2pDlcLEKj1LSau2_NEs9E_mPknVeAOhs47SU-xRUDNBQT7vvKg77tmTVE2B1dmThcZvryuVj-EIMPsds7wXrQdN0YSIOAhZMQMnix6sIdoayo9fMLdg3ZX64kmRKzDc2ac/s640/3FAAE1ED-4F5B-43DB-859F-8AC3CA321427.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our final stop was the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, consecrated in 2013 after twenty years of construction. We were not surprised to see a couple of tour buses parked at this magnificent edifice, but with a bit of patience, the small French tour groups soon left and we had the cathedral almost to ourselves.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qFebTX1cB-YW6g-_g7jqY37USjkl_UYFcX7qvJhmzCGay8RKV88bbXs31XUinhKEKUkL9uPfNp8YnGmim-5RKYjB9tX1Y5X43BL5fpEuSJ3Rv8DAlLsd9Bu_dzuhVjRz_w5qNYZ19Fc/s1600/CEA85BEE-21DF-4612-9D26-249B59B2C44F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qFebTX1cB-YW6g-_g7jqY37USjkl_UYFcX7qvJhmzCGay8RKV88bbXs31XUinhKEKUkL9uPfNp8YnGmim-5RKYjB9tX1Y5X43BL5fpEuSJ3Rv8DAlLsd9Bu_dzuhVjRz_w5qNYZ19Fc/s640/CEA85BEE-21DF-4612-9D26-249B59B2C44F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Unlike its Belgrade counterpart, this cathedral's interior is as complete as its exterior. In typical Orthodox fashion, its walls and ceilings are covered with elaborate iconography and murals of scenes both biblical and modern. In one mural, former Yugoslav leader Tito is depicted burning in the fires of hell along with Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspXnmAL1MtAeFLBtgaC-4bw9OvCiD0oR03Dh38MjFAWc_k2yrEspyywUWDcQL7y_dsH-PURHlwupkLdQVzGLAvdupYcEGvDjioQkNcUaPfWFHuAlMhYlwZOoaHSmyfpxKB3AdaGfyPf8/s1600/_72688961_hi020858675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="660" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspXnmAL1MtAeFLBtgaC-4bw9OvCiD0oR03Dh38MjFAWc_k2yrEspyywUWDcQL7y_dsH-PURHlwupkLdQVzGLAvdupYcEGvDjioQkNcUaPfWFHuAlMhYlwZOoaHSmyfpxKB3AdaGfyPf8/s640/_72688961_hi020858675.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tito, Marx and Engels (center)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0is0pkZCf7yKZA2koT6lZhA7typgFRZWShNtFi68PiQ1jgaeyfO4rbXfi1sHEd1xjfPPYlTBDD6bNi2x3uO3gzYMN9OYmq483jzDnqxng2ajwJX2WnJawFpNFxeB46LtRH0iYExDy0o4/s1600/C30F72A6-FEE4-4A92-AEFD-80B7D2E2BBC6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0is0pkZCf7yKZA2koT6lZhA7typgFRZWShNtFi68PiQ1jgaeyfO4rbXfi1sHEd1xjfPPYlTBDD6bNi2x3uO3gzYMN9OYmq483jzDnqxng2ajwJX2WnJawFpNFxeB46LtRH0iYExDy0o4/s640/C30F72A6-FEE4-4A92-AEFD-80B7D2E2BBC6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathedral's dome interior</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUn1SC4dsmj9jcmUQ96-qOqCE8lrEgI3lLABdx14ADAGTUjICNWKmZg6XQg68jLvJJDNhBaATHmpZ946UdPHQBoCCD6ZsP5eshbktKR5omYJWqqIU9K0TG3aChSCSoa_y5jnlJha81Mk/s1600/8B9D3F99-3018-4B11-8B0C-6D0B24D1DBD6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlUn1SC4dsmj9jcmUQ96-qOqCE8lrEgI3lLABdx14ADAGTUjICNWKmZg6XQg68jLvJJDNhBaATHmpZ946UdPHQBoCCD6ZsP5eshbktKR5omYJWqqIU9K0TG3aChSCSoa_y5jnlJha81Mk/s640/8B9D3F99-3018-4B11-8B0C-6D0B24D1DBD6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every surface is covered with detailed graphics.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As we walked out of the cathedral with its breathtaking decor, rain began to fall, signaling the end of our self-designed city tour. Is Podgorica worth visiting? We'd say definitely yes, but don't tell the tour companies.</div>
<br />
Tomorrow we'll leave the beautiful Montenegro and drive to Albania.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">WEDNESDAY, 2 MAY—FRIDAY, 4 MAY, 2018</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">3-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Dubrovnik, Croatia<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Podgorica, Montenegro<br />
• <b>Miles driven:</b> 178<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 17.54<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 62° to 88°, sunny, partly cloudy, thunderstorms<br />
• <b>Queue jumpers at Montenegro border: </b>16 (13 motorcyclists, 2 bicyclists, 1 pedestrian)<br />
• <b>Mountains in Montenegro:</b> 2,691<br />
• <b>Slowest border crossing prize:</b> Montenegro<br />
• <b>Tour buses in Podgorica:</b> 2<br />
• <b>Tortoises at Doclea site:</b> 2<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Loved: </b>No question, we were thrilled to get away from the crowds we've seen in the last few stops. We certainly understand that we can't expect to be the only visitors to any location, but it's the busloads and shiploads of people that tromp and trample and push and shove with no consideration of others that grate.<br />
<b><br />
Lacking:</b> Tourists in Podgorica (tee hee!)<br />
<br />
<b>Learned: </b> Though we should already know this well, we were reminded yet again that we should not rely completely on the opinions of others. After all, if we did, we wouldn't be visiting these countries at all.</div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Montenegro (and a few from Croatia)</span></strong><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9IYVqXNkrglIu5a4amUXK0NCtlxK8N3FfHZEgfXGehCSyUbNPfPi0Yoo_AaEeHccCW5hBQHXkGZZolq1jZ4nV2IWzSkSqJ-h7C6udWwVzodeNn1mbQzcBVTrtsYismK9oW06LKvpYBtc/s1600/4AEE1274-50ED-43EE-89B0-5A01761C1D4F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9IYVqXNkrglIu5a4amUXK0NCtlxK8N3FfHZEgfXGehCSyUbNPfPi0Yoo_AaEeHccCW5hBQHXkGZZolq1jZ4nV2IWzSkSqJ-h7C6udWwVzodeNn1mbQzcBVTrtsYismK9oW06LKvpYBtc/s640/4AEE1274-50ED-43EE-89B0-5A01761C1D4F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great views as we drove down the Adriatic coast</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-2mXN7GtSVbHjxZBwXRFyBzA5pKGcE2RgfO4frmtjbTq298QEyhTWqcVf9l-ZcGRo2SKMD8bYUuC7LKEW3EQAYz41VZumhRSVO_uCZeNzw187GpEpkqlEeQOiCuWS0BO5bt5yTAdGhM/s1600/3480CB72-9E69-4A05-A685-AC6B749ADF0E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-2mXN7GtSVbHjxZBwXRFyBzA5pKGcE2RgfO4frmtjbTq298QEyhTWqcVf9l-ZcGRo2SKMD8bYUuC7LKEW3EQAYz41VZumhRSVO_uCZeNzw187GpEpkqlEeQOiCuWS0BO5bt5yTAdGhM/s640/3480CB72-9E69-4A05-A685-AC6B749ADF0E.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sokol Tower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkPcUa-0xz4T91diryVh9e-A5TMKlGe2umBDUXO7iaW6yAHiEe0ft8qJfGKEaMKfyRHA8RPFUU286ZO7NVDHmnBzAT9tfUO_HNNUQieiKyA8i-bL6HrFXb2GqdZ4Maiw9hPr0m86hLgY/s1600/808626EE-32FF-46E9-A76B-84EE200871A5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkPcUa-0xz4T91diryVh9e-A5TMKlGe2umBDUXO7iaW6yAHiEe0ft8qJfGKEaMKfyRHA8RPFUU286ZO7NVDHmnBzAT9tfUO_HNNUQieiKyA8i-bL6HrFXb2GqdZ4Maiw9hPr0m86hLgY/s640/808626EE-32FF-46E9-A76B-84EE200871A5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imposing view from Sokol Tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zl9UjBu6SDnyAQL6W_Tk5ueJV5cBKTwfTTE8uZG85joUERHjW1z8UwF6hL8yxkQJb9tjyFPeqiIk2mlT7dqGzX-4Kj7HgWYdkx30vU2MmjncLo12C7UeB9q9EXWmi7kDliHKNov1_v8/s1600/2B10AB2C-451C-4159-A3A4-E29C9D17B188.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zl9UjBu6SDnyAQL6W_Tk5ueJV5cBKTwfTTE8uZG85joUERHjW1z8UwF6hL8yxkQJb9tjyFPeqiIk2mlT7dqGzX-4Kj7HgWYdkx30vU2MmjncLo12C7UeB9q9EXWmi7kDliHKNov1_v8/s640/2B10AB2C-451C-4159-A3A4-E29C9D17B188.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cliffs above the tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUQL3Lml23XxT2B8fqG2IIH1i_07mSBmb4FPY4udIie4Azf_bTYzlJBZ3XHJ2oNO58dduDFYcGwLFAsasMyYohKmowGBsNPjjjjhgGKoEtww7yCp45-CI_7_Z6x_C1CY5I-GKUL0R1tc/s1600/0F3198F0-A5E6-4B17-8F06-D56ABA292E18.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUQL3Lml23XxT2B8fqG2IIH1i_07mSBmb4FPY4udIie4Azf_bTYzlJBZ3XHJ2oNO58dduDFYcGwLFAsasMyYohKmowGBsNPjjjjhgGKoEtww7yCp45-CI_7_Z6x_C1CY5I-GKUL0R1tc/s640/0F3198F0-A5E6-4B17-8F06-D56ABA292E18.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cemetery at the foot of the tower </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg09ZBg7uJ47tGPAIZwa-NkrZrBfJ1NdNCO6iu6mVyzxGmPqRFydlg2dhF3aPXauLjC0oGOe46pP4ovqX4yA0TaSHu1eFgh1baxlTFJ96WlHzom_2UzLtLs5VMEp0vIEIZjRyj_Hk2RCI/s1600/4BE9F77C-64E7-4B20-BCB1-7AFE57D2D5D6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg09ZBg7uJ47tGPAIZwa-NkrZrBfJ1NdNCO6iu6mVyzxGmPqRFydlg2dhF3aPXauLjC0oGOe46pP4ovqX4yA0TaSHu1eFgh1baxlTFJ96WlHzom_2UzLtLs5VMEp0vIEIZjRyj_Hk2RCI/s640/4BE9F77C-64E7-4B20-BCB1-7AFE57D2D5D6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even a pedestrian broke in line ahead of us at the border crossing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDLsyI07jzOsWkyDtsvgmyWKfY-Jd-MUNzeZmpBvUx6E28EQjo5Plk-IbowvzWjiLDGLabL6U6H7zNLHc9cEz__xPzEjhfWeffehzhaRjKtCal8gWGTsxPkk-jIKrf8cEfgOHv8cSc34/s1600/2027699B-5154-4922-8E4A-08BA9DE8EF55.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQDLsyI07jzOsWkyDtsvgmyWKfY-Jd-MUNzeZmpBvUx6E28EQjo5Plk-IbowvzWjiLDGLabL6U6H7zNLHc9cEz__xPzEjhfWeffehzhaRjKtCal8gWGTsxPkk-jIKrf8cEfgOHv8cSc34/s640/2027699B-5154-4922-8E4A-08BA9DE8EF55.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kotor's Church of St. Nicholas (Serbian Orthodox) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4qebQmwJUBoy3mWO_Gs06R83Qz5vN2W70n-AiS_i22Kq75tq4al0Q_HrVYvH8JsFzFWDCoWTTr5zqyXe-coG-cLjaT7xk3UefYSha8t3P_NzmxtXT9sgHRwMnk92gSet10cNBXPoJUw/s1600/1F37B541-C8CF-4CE2-BD99-6BBE652F0A0A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4qebQmwJUBoy3mWO_Gs06R83Qz5vN2W70n-AiS_i22Kq75tq4al0Q_HrVYvH8JsFzFWDCoWTTr5zqyXe-coG-cLjaT7xk3UefYSha8t3P_NzmxtXT9sgHRwMnk92gSet10cNBXPoJUw/s640/1F37B541-C8CF-4CE2-BD99-6BBE652F0A0A.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quiet corner captured just before a tour group tromped through in Kotor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQSeJ-VGcphU65k6UijuyF3x5rgIi8aTwJQA3I9nc1b_BEI6zDampvfnv6pp-L49RkO9u_IzP4THQr3Yn7ugmFP4ohyR-mLYvzjbUlBgj88T_0qdkNs9HjXxowYfz3nyS7IjneuSpiBI/s1600/2181D012-5084-4C84-B264-D3DF35539018.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQSeJ-VGcphU65k6UijuyF3x5rgIi8aTwJQA3I9nc1b_BEI6zDampvfnv6pp-L49RkO9u_IzP4THQr3Yn7ugmFP4ohyR-mLYvzjbUlBgj88T_0qdkNs9HjXxowYfz3nyS7IjneuSpiBI/s640/2181D012-5084-4C84-B264-D3DF35539018.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We planted a letterbox at the bottom with a view of the tunnel leading to the mausoleum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwV9Q3Mhq1WECHGcPRtv7tLqmXCKc_pMpxDOO5RsmFvGxkZKhwDlKTMmncyHgFeS_mJU5Dqi8kybfle2GmGNQWXvMnNB22yQaEcyyS6Cy4nEz12IC1GojnyvxztJEMZtdoY0cBfjejxcI/s1600/7EBDBF82-E67D-4277-9037-1BD7894B5F44.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwV9Q3Mhq1WECHGcPRtv7tLqmXCKc_pMpxDOO5RsmFvGxkZKhwDlKTMmncyHgFeS_mJU5Dqi8kybfle2GmGNQWXvMnNB22yQaEcyyS6Cy4nEz12IC1GojnyvxztJEMZtdoY0cBfjejxcI/s640/7EBDBF82-E67D-4277-9037-1BD7894B5F44.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the Sparkling Clean Parking Garage Award goes to the Hilton Hotel in Podgorica.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puppies and bunnies, an odd but harmonious pairing, in a petting pen at the Niagara restaurant.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old fortification near the Roman Bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtuGeamv27JzbFvq4MI6jkzc2mKm77kUtlFmY-J8CPJGjVxeMGFeDVHsmdoy_9cr7vPRs1i2T3Tatm23hlL4V9XrbX8M8zrO0537wqHcg766hTXi40o9ccFvflkNUS0QOA-v5ycywvS4/s1600/52DB8ACC-347A-4B77-8754-561AF5C332E8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtuGeamv27JzbFvq4MI6jkzc2mKm77kUtlFmY-J8CPJGjVxeMGFeDVHsmdoy_9cr7vPRs1i2T3Tatm23hlL4V9XrbX8M8zrO0537wqHcg766hTXi40o9ccFvflkNUS0QOA-v5ycywvS4/s640/52DB8ACC-347A-4B77-8754-561AF5C332E8.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Russian government donated this monument to a Russian rock star who loved Montenegro.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKdJeOOgL6IJId-ODhTuDJZpwvzw0BzS4CtGQ6aDzs6yvqVvzHGh4v0jDhOMPHQCJay4ICv_A9_xJ0BjkrABbeiSIbfkvpzvkVocQQZivK5XpMC1ouC6JPf7R_aMIx502tUv0_tjnIB4/s1600/9696A01A-38EC-4B5C-88A5-1B33942A1572.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKdJeOOgL6IJId-ODhTuDJZpwvzw0BzS4CtGQ6aDzs6yvqVvzHGh4v0jDhOMPHQCJay4ICv_A9_xJ0BjkrABbeiSIbfkvpzvkVocQQZivK5XpMC1ouC6JPf7R_aMIx502tUv0_tjnIB4/s640/9696A01A-38EC-4B5C-88A5-1B33942A1572.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cathedral is set in a large field, and even the back is lovely, the stone surfaces rough-hewn at the bottom and increasingly refined toward the top. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTM0EeNgazO85SmPp7uYGdqQ1srAse6Lr87Au75LlqY-onnNWITDGD83He1hf994VhldTY6dl_LyAfYbPihWeC0RBYgCWzXPzU6DK63Qrgnei8CdKOqk5ZU1_948GxOnJVA-8sOnNYWM/s1600/4D8E31DC-35F9-4F0B-A967-3D553E3F3438.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTM0EeNgazO85SmPp7uYGdqQ1srAse6Lr87Au75LlqY-onnNWITDGD83He1hf994VhldTY6dl_LyAfYbPihWeC0RBYgCWzXPzU6DK63Qrgnei8CdKOqk5ZU1_948GxOnJVA-8sOnNYWM/s640/4D8E31DC-35F9-4F0B-A967-3D553E3F3438.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of the cathedral's floor mosaics</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comPodgorica, Montenegro42.4304196 19.25936419999993642.2429041 18.936640699999938 42.617935100000004 19.582087699999935tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-66620141234682000752018-05-01T12:33:00.002-04:002018-05-02T01:28:05.136-04:00Dubious about Dubrovnik<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 18: IN WHICH DÈJÁ MEETS VU<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 36 & 37: Mostar, Bosnia to Dubrovnik, Croatia.</strong> When last in this part of the world, we were in our 30s and many of the countries we're visiting— Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia—were part of Yugoslavia. We had our eye on Dubrovnik back then but it was a bit too far south for us to include in our 16-day itinerary. If only we had made it here then, things might have been different.<br />
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But I'm getting ahead of myself. First we had to leave Bosnia and drive to Croatia. We had looked at the route on Google Maps and it seemed pretty straightforward, so when we notified our Garmin GPS where we wanted to go, we didn't bother to look at the route it was taking. Thanks to that inattention, we experienced not one but three border crossings between Mostar and Dubrovnik. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing out of Bosnia, into Croatia, then two dual stations for the last two crossings.</td></tr>
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Bosnia has a curious five-mile wide finger of land that effectively cuts Croatia in half, thanks to a fateful decision made more than 300 years ago. Back in the day when Dubrovnik was a city-state, it allied with the wrong side during the Great Turkish War of the 17th century. Fearful of retribution by the Hapsburg victors, Dubrovnik's leaders chopped off a bit of their northern border and gave it to the Ottomans in 1699 as a buffer between the city and the Hapsburg Empire. That little finger of <strike>fate</strike> land became part of the Ottoman territory of Bosnia.<br />
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When Dubrovnik later joined with the remainder of Croat-inhabited lands, that little strip stayed with Bosnia, necessitating international border crossings to get from one part of Croatia to another. Bosnia had no interest in ceding its seacoast to its neighbor, even as small as it is. In fact, the only country with a coastline shorter than Bosnia's is Monaco. Croatia has been floating the idea of building a 1.5-mile bridge from its coast north of the Bosnian finger to the adjacent Croatian-held peninsula, allowing domestic traffic to bypass Bosnia. Due to the high cost, plans are not yet set in concrete.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neretva Delta</td></tr>
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Just after re-entering Croatia, we pulled over at an overlook to get a better view of the lush green landscape spread out below us. This rich tableau is made possible by the fresh water of the Neretva River delta. On its approach to the Adriatic, the river fans out to form fertile agricultural fields that stand in contrast to their surroundings. The scenery is so lovely local tour providers even include "Green Valley" on some day trips.<br />
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In the end, Lady Garmin's shenanigans added about an hour to our transit time with the multiple border crossings, but we still reached Dubrovnik by 1 pm and soon located our Airbnb apartment. One of the factors that convinced us to select the apartment was its proximity to Old Town—"five-minute walk," according to the description. "Just 200 meters" to restaurants, supermarket, and all manner of other conveniences, the host promised. As the crow flies (due downhill), the distance is probably accurate. However, a total of 400 steep steps separated the apartment from Old Town and the amenities below. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy8JJvk7or8bUjhi0xUA-YNPqv5ePFKOw2eqdMVOt4LDIYTlGPcvx7HOkWg3ElMzt6DsWfbgetskqRmdte7EUB1tNeK1mpiaO7rSbjQtYiCoyp6uxElWEPRPsKfMk9qi6lnYhGG1DnhY/s1600/4596D352-1DB2-46D9-8092-F88217DD4648.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy8JJvk7or8bUjhi0xUA-YNPqv5ePFKOw2eqdMVOt4LDIYTlGPcvx7HOkWg3ElMzt6DsWfbgetskqRmdte7EUB1tNeK1mpiaO7rSbjQtYiCoyp6uxElWEPRPsKfMk9qi6lnYhGG1DnhY/s640/4596D352-1DB2-46D9-8092-F88217DD4648.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The longest section of stairs</td></tr>
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In the host's defense, she did include "must climb stairs" in her description. With no photographic or other more detailed explanation, however, we just assumed the apartment was on the second floor and there was no elevator. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDD-o0NjC-eVrTkVWrYmA1zvaA2bWNFla7rtv-dORrVDy7zb4hhG0Q0MblkTrhNBufFZhuGXOSjfoLZq9GZXxApUCEIAeKNDsDZlpbmeNHZom4Vjj1ctJkqfRnARYd5nitp1t5iXZFgQ/s1600/588BAC99-06E7-4F3B-A039-1C8E511382F9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijDD-o0NjC-eVrTkVWrYmA1zvaA2bWNFla7rtv-dORrVDy7zb4hhG0Q0MblkTrhNBufFZhuGXOSjfoLZq9GZXxApUCEIAeKNDsDZlpbmeNHZom4Vjj1ctJkqfRnARYd5nitp1t5iXZFgQ/s640/588BAC99-06E7-4F3B-A039-1C8E511382F9.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going up</td></tr>
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Admittedly, this was no big deal on the way down, but the arduous climb to return to the apartment was breathtaking, in its most literal sense. We had no difficulty meeting our exercise quota for these two days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMt5mWmPiG991IaJ462EV0104m6xEXUngMndFtfKHewsl1MZiftDdyg-tSRh-wCfZhHPtB3KG-8_bI8waOqm10EP9F21fusowWWd3roBdqSEOoxsoyFaphnUbUIPJESFOerQyIRHxt2_c/s1600/F4F6AAB7-5938-4CCB-84C1-D5F238837883.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMt5mWmPiG991IaJ462EV0104m6xEXUngMndFtfKHewsl1MZiftDdyg-tSRh-wCfZhHPtB3KG-8_bI8waOqm10EP9F21fusowWWd3roBdqSEOoxsoyFaphnUbUIPJESFOerQyIRHxt2_c/s640/F4F6AAB7-5938-4CCB-84C1-D5F238837883.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Old Town from our apartment</td></tr>
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What we saw from the apartment's (figuratively) breathtaking view was a carefully preserved (and in some cases rebuilt—yes, damage from that same 1990s war) Old Town of warm beige stone capped by brilliant orange tile roofs. It looked enticing, appealing, as if it were begging us to venture down a few hundred feet to explore its charming ancient cobbled streets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_S8c79JR4WOc0V5l93DSnWc5qltPlX9qDf7QrFgRRN22chTQqYjo4wvGlBpDpd5fk_XUA6ZPd8efUxgvN5UCSRz-jSaxwsouHsYwk7xdhznstyUmddB-6A1oHVYsEVJy20w4kUrCW1cE/s1600/4BFC976E-0BE3-4D12-BA16-D45E7D26F644.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_S8c79JR4WOc0V5l93DSnWc5qltPlX9qDf7QrFgRRN22chTQqYjo4wvGlBpDpd5fk_XUA6ZPd8efUxgvN5UCSRz-jSaxwsouHsYwk7xdhznstyUmddB-6A1oHVYsEVJy20w4kUrCW1cE/s640/4BFC976E-0BE3-4D12-BA16-D45E7D26F644.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
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At eye level, it felt a bit more as if we had stirred up a highly populated ant bed. When we drove past the harbor on the way to the apartment, we couldn't help noticing that two large cruise ships were in port. (How can you miss a 12-story behemoth that dwarfs everything on shore?) Based on the clog of humanity on the streets of Old Town, most of the cruisers' passengers had opted for the "shore excursion" inside the ancient walls.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3xhzufI2Nvs86_fx_jy7ILkBnnhn6qAHRx5KsbbeMzeIlJSyKAEf16QzkbouCunz9MRTf3X-fnaNpI5Wy0J7eMsSh2-ULT9CSfu5EIS7390Xf30RQtLHb9K7feKvxfnIH0cM42srd5I/s1600/332907CF-F5AE-49EC-B539-C24A15F6E5B7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1600" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3xhzufI2Nvs86_fx_jy7ILkBnnhn6qAHRx5KsbbeMzeIlJSyKAEf16QzkbouCunz9MRTf3X-fnaNpI5Wy0J7eMsSh2-ULT9CSfu5EIS7390Xf30RQtLHb9K7feKvxfnIH0cM42srd5I/s640/332907CF-F5AE-49EC-B539-C24A15F6E5B7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Much to our surprise, when we chatted about the crowd with a young local working in one of Old Town's dozens of sidewalk cafes, she laughed. "This is nothing compared to July and August! At the height of the season, we'll have three times more tables set up." That's the time of year when Mediterranean cruise ships disgorge as many as 10,000 passengers into the city every day, supplemented by a couple thousand overlanders who arrive with their guides in tour buses.<br />
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Apparently we're not the only ones who object to all this excessive and uncontrolled tourism. UNESCO, which added Dubrovnik's Renaissance era Old Town to its list of World Heritage sites in 1979, has threatened to rescind that status unless the city curbs the flood of tourists trampling its streets and threatening the very relics they are there to visit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBT1WbgYDiNXRXfh4rNQCG5iO8cIY9PUhyFmOfhxk8R04XnH15T5Yy4q90HC9KYugQOKecUySn8owEMciLjHn0D0GmpZD2NYJJbUYAE1PBmB5q9LrsX70uEhs1PleSeTH4CHQ81VtATM/s1600/4FCB0E65-DC38-4381-8B83-C2617E00B0FC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuBT1WbgYDiNXRXfh4rNQCG5iO8cIY9PUhyFmOfhxk8R04XnH15T5Yy4q90HC9KYugQOKecUySn8owEMciLjHn0D0GmpZD2NYJJbUYAE1PBmB5q9LrsX70uEhs1PleSeTH4CHQ81VtATM/s640/4FCB0E65-DC38-4381-8B83-C2617E00B0FC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
In the way only a movie or TV tie-in can fuel rampant tourism, Dubrovnik's starring role as the town of King's Landing in <i>Game of Thrones</i> draws fans like a super magnet. And, yes, tour operators play up this connection at every opportunity.<br />
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With a population teetering at 40,000, Dubrovnik is struggling to deal with the million plus tourists who come for overnight stays plus another 800,000 who stream off supersized cruise ships in intense bursts of overwhelming footsteps. Though the elbow-to-elbow throngs were incredibly frustrating, we found it quite interesting to observe them. We were astounded by the number who looked as if they were enduring torture. Very few of those in the tour groups appeared to be having a good time, leaving one to wonder why they pour their money into the experience. (So similar to the faces of misery we've observed on people playing slot machines in casinos elsewhere.)<br />
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And on that sad note, we end our time in Dubrovnik, wishing we had made it here in 1985 before it was overrun by tour buses and cruise ships. Tomorrow we'll leave Croatia and drive south into Montenegro, another former Yugoslavian republic.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">MONDAY, 30 APRIL, & TUESDAY, 1 MAY, 2018</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" width="640" /></span></b></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">2-Day Stats:</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Dubrovnik, Croatia<br />
• <b>Miles driven:</b> 110<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 10.83<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 56° to 84°, sunny and again too hot<br />
• <b>Tour buse</b>s:<b> </b>68<br />
• <b>Amazing views of the Adriatic along the coast:</b> 117<br />
• <b>Lazy hitchhikers:</b> 3 (sitting beside road with hand or sign held slightly aloft)<br />
• <b>Cruise ships:</b> too many<br />
• <b>Steps we climbed in Dubrovnik: </b>3,162 (up + down over two days)<br />
• <b>People licking ice cream cones:</b> 1,603 (so many tongues flicking in one place!)<b> </b><br />
• <b>Border crossings: </b>2 more than we should have had<br />
• <b>Selfie sticks: </b>426 (alive and well in Dubrovnik)<br />
• <b>Sunburned tourists: </b>908 lightly charred, 327 lobsters, 35 crispy cruisers<br />
• <b>Street cats:</b> 243<br />
• <b> Sidewalk cafes:</b> 150<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b>Loved:</b> The view from the apartment was great, but what we loved most was our decision to book two, not three, days in Dubrovnik.<br />
<b><br />
Lacking:</b> Some semblance of control over the number of tourists permitted in the city. How frustrating it must be for the people who actually live within the Old Town walls!<br />
<br />
<b>Learned: </b> When I went to mail a couple of post cards today, I found the post office closed. What? Easter Monday again? But it was actually International Workers Day (equivalent to Labor Day in the US), celebrated on May 1 by many European countries. </div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Chapter 18</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguC-gagAoIz27zmIYWZwGHOeqni951IeGMM4Qs63InUzzgfrxUdmtoNw96a6Im-WqSNKG2UVvYcGbtUHvaSC33wa7VQBJ3eMfGGGYD069JG8IGS4rc9jOmhxib43Cn3iiVTPBQni0IAlo/s1600/442BF0B9-9A05-49B6-8631-A61CD1E2B92C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguC-gagAoIz27zmIYWZwGHOeqni951IeGMM4Qs63InUzzgfrxUdmtoNw96a6Im-WqSNKG2UVvYcGbtUHvaSC33wa7VQBJ3eMfGGGYD069JG8IGS4rc9jOmhxib43Cn3iiVTPBQni0IAlo/s640/442BF0B9-9A05-49B6-8631-A61CD1E2B92C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the wild poppies are lush in Green Valley. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLneRPqI9cre_sDvoeqPEEBDGX7cRCp_m6DIeeTg98Je25JJx6Z7VNmJwi4Htaj-HohtxeqCHKySGbZOTsImTZwOYzCZw5HMcI7FZqvrmVvTYNYiq9u0dF63fJxlNIAVucVXRRigBBp8/s1600/D5D7FCF8-00D1-4785-AD83-D53CD7972525.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1277" data-original-width="1600" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLneRPqI9cre_sDvoeqPEEBDGX7cRCp_m6DIeeTg98Je25JJx6Z7VNmJwi4Htaj-HohtxeqCHKySGbZOTsImTZwOYzCZw5HMcI7FZqvrmVvTYNYiq9u0dF63fJxlNIAVucVXRRigBBp8/s640/D5D7FCF8-00D1-4785-AD83-D53CD7972525.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dozens of motorcycles on the route down the coast </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUyQDzaPdjA14HXzQCj_U7nsxUO9KhYg_0LYZE3J-I2zY1SCRhGFSoSpEz-miSa4MRod7UwI66D0Re7X_TA3Z2vn3PfoVnj6yVWUtsIEiXioYFbzlDgMUkrQhKRmvxmKUmAU9jyIW2Ms/s1600/3249B2F2-3470-4408-92F5-D42341747D3C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUyQDzaPdjA14HXzQCj_U7nsxUO9KhYg_0LYZE3J-I2zY1SCRhGFSoSpEz-miSa4MRod7UwI66D0Re7X_TA3Z2vn3PfoVnj6yVWUtsIEiXioYFbzlDgMUkrQhKRmvxmKUmAU9jyIW2Ms/s640/3249B2F2-3470-4408-92F5-D42341747D3C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No question there are many attractive vignettes in the city</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9JyOvfr0Vd17h6wnCrm1jtUQJaxKveag4sdS_ybwsXAK75_YTVXT3yB6r7PdRkU1z7Y8B5HnqefTgxNHWVVc6DsGbGC6d4ukhIEdQR9AUGNzYTNIpv0CXrB0wfaoGBS2MKJ-yrVsaxI/s1600/6A11D3BA-EBC7-4624-BFA8-20C369C5828E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9JyOvfr0Vd17h6wnCrm1jtUQJaxKveag4sdS_ybwsXAK75_YTVXT3yB6r7PdRkU1z7Y8B5HnqefTgxNHWVVc6DsGbGC6d4ukhIEdQR9AUGNzYTNIpv0CXrB0wfaoGBS2MKJ-yrVsaxI/s320/6A11D3BA-EBC7-4624-BFA8-20C369C5828E.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Built in 1419, Orlando's column honors French knight who helped Dubrovnik win a war.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtrqygwuORB9mZtUy9daPF2oc9M1Sdtc-33P0NuRKNM9TkWMOaWm1TMgiGoLy8RZehlnQv15PqGfH0zxasYQ8EdIMX9ySaZ-emg8A-_Yda0MJKIp-_0qhenXByTqCeIPk-pPNAooEqDM/s1600/F9D47383-7146-4296-9F49-3366A4C97774.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1600" height="507" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtrqygwuORB9mZtUy9daPF2oc9M1Sdtc-33P0NuRKNM9TkWMOaWm1TMgiGoLy8RZehlnQv15PqGfH0zxasYQ8EdIMX9ySaZ-emg8A-_Yda0MJKIp-_0qhenXByTqCeIPk-pPNAooEqDM/s640/F9D47383-7146-4296-9F49-3366A4C97774.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creepily realistic mannequin advertising Game of Thrones merchandise. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqhcRSjrGI2oDTQn_U8ncaV0MrZdk5ZqjXNaJtOCDHbcn67tQVWChxhUO27EGnZgAqk626XLfcSxLzDR3ydMK1grguqtxbkGxxdnFuNXWp0-Feh0kR_6cLslyeMrUEQUlk_9lNeKLgXg/s1600/DC88FFE7-E3DA-4B34-9F41-2E02FB59A6A1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqhcRSjrGI2oDTQn_U8ncaV0MrZdk5ZqjXNaJtOCDHbcn67tQVWChxhUO27EGnZgAqk626XLfcSxLzDR3ydMK1grguqtxbkGxxdnFuNXWp0-Feh0kR_6cLslyeMrUEQUlk_9lNeKLgXg/s640/DC88FFE7-E3DA-4B34-9F41-2E02FB59A6A1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prices at sidewalk cafes were as steep as the steps. $3 for a small croissant.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLhhVuUH8lLhk4UCBIGtW70Zvo_MPvAiDoJSWcIw7ymO9J5yJzbPKKQlMdP9lVncxoZ5qr0uBi1fE2B-AAcka-Jxp1V0wM3TGEfPQKBqC5tQnJ8n_pSnW6dtyLK6IrD6rXCoz4lCulJk/s1600/2FEB9DC4-DF87-47C9-9394-A456C04D33D2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLhhVuUH8lLhk4UCBIGtW70Zvo_MPvAiDoJSWcIw7ymO9J5yJzbPKKQlMdP9lVncxoZ5qr0uBi1fE2B-AAcka-Jxp1V0wM3TGEfPQKBqC5tQnJ8n_pSnW6dtyLK6IrD6rXCoz4lCulJk/s640/2FEB9DC4-DF87-47C9-9394-A456C04D33D2.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We dove deep into Old Town, away from the main thoroughfares, to find empty streets.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUuwzTwcN3wF0cjx7qzE1Jzflv4d50zBRtrTlX8-iiHq3RwTJKjw_LwoZb4GkvYBIPjxKYcxMXlXGMtIK6xTCvAzwwX_c47gS94bd13DvtKoL9P8HNudIaiTAumAp8XhXlJgrRK8iXNg/s1600/86B9B5B4-3245-4E24-8753-486950CBA89F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1207" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUuwzTwcN3wF0cjx7qzE1Jzflv4d50zBRtrTlX8-iiHq3RwTJKjw_LwoZb4GkvYBIPjxKYcxMXlXGMtIK6xTCvAzwwX_c47gS94bd13DvtKoL9P8HNudIaiTAumAp8XhXlJgrRK8iXNg/s640/86B9B5B4-3245-4E24-8753-486950CBA89F.jpeg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazingly quiet spot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZgDk-3j9flzJP3sJUcsyn95ZzJ8Rk2EvlReQ3GzJzVmc1o-QK2XGq-UN-aFZNxmxIPwRxvRgsEMQZS4v_NK0gB6XO9NXN-1fmXlpoi3C7wPQf06nauHpYQ-OrmwXzsnyI3hgZ2mwARs/s1600/FE593021-2A35-4C23-9F1F-4D8BECFCE9AC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZgDk-3j9flzJP3sJUcsyn95ZzJ8Rk2EvlReQ3GzJzVmc1o-QK2XGq-UN-aFZNxmxIPwRxvRgsEMQZS4v_NK0gB6XO9NXN-1fmXlpoi3C7wPQf06nauHpYQ-OrmwXzsnyI3hgZ2mwARs/s640/FE593021-2A35-4C23-9F1F-4D8BECFCE9AC.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only one tourist here</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHx8rldcXIXscnoKAwgwtPxM7rTK9_BOmuVLSLEjhYqrIBb9Pt77nn2zjipW86VRovPUTyu2OoPtIcWjQM7t_Ni3jLmrvjPkaLZSzT1gX83-B2XTvdOQuNuWbMh3JbZm2UuM5uBsYfzE0/s1600/12059166-E49D-44B0-B0B4-034B0082175E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHx8rldcXIXscnoKAwgwtPxM7rTK9_BOmuVLSLEjhYqrIBb9Pt77nn2zjipW86VRovPUTyu2OoPtIcWjQM7t_Ni3jLmrvjPkaLZSzT1gX83-B2XTvdOQuNuWbMh3JbZm2UuM5uBsYfzE0/s640/12059166-E49D-44B0-B0B4-034B0082175E.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoping the funds go to benefit their intended recipients, we chipped in.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZJcKPrxOIHQCP-Nrk8DLyvKqQhSvcBd24iRYPPos2M_HEz2eGVFiBQYNjRHaKWWHAcApdJVVcdFaunBxlufJHCKLP8lZ6R-z0sdeOSpfBMfg0tmSmsvnM7J2Lk8vfs2rFqP6zYfEd68/s1600/D3F37673-322F-4F60-9C83-A23C88859E60.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZJcKPrxOIHQCP-Nrk8DLyvKqQhSvcBd24iRYPPos2M_HEz2eGVFiBQYNjRHaKWWHAcApdJVVcdFaunBxlufJHCKLP8lZ6R-z0sdeOSpfBMfg0tmSmsvnM7J2Lk8vfs2rFqP6zYfEd68/s640/D3F37673-322F-4F60-9C83-A23C88859E60.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post card time</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comDubrovnik, Croatia42.650660599999988 18.09442379999995942.60394209999999 18.01374279999996 42.697379099999985 18.175104799999957tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-86601302520157388902018-04-29T16:10:00.000-04:002018-04-30T01:53:57.804-04:00A Game of Bridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedBq0PAuFMdlz2dV2lROykdkoKN_e259pgh_k8DAmwFITwsnFDArLUN2V_q0smmupRBsFEs9WZ1j8RVoU1JlpmM4pMOUaY-mZiweV7jOd-5T5On44bCSsaOSaqspvB7zkrPkCNFcQI94/s1600/45479403-D5E2-42FD-B8EE-DD70F8F18852.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedBq0PAuFMdlz2dV2lROykdkoKN_e259pgh_k8DAmwFITwsnFDArLUN2V_q0smmupRBsFEs9WZ1j8RVoU1JlpmM4pMOUaY-mZiweV7jOd-5T5On44bCSsaOSaqspvB7zkrPkCNFcQI94/s640/45479403-D5E2-42FD-B8EE-DD70F8F18852.png" width="640" /></a></div>
CHAPTER 17: IN WHICH WE SEE HISTORY REBUILT<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Day 35: Sarajevo, Bosnia, to Mostar, Bosnia.</strong> As we were driving out of Sarajevo this morning, our little Renault Clio flashed a warning to check its tire pressure. Since the car had sat all yesterday in an underground garage, we considered that the issue might be related to the ambient temperature. We've experienced similar temperature-related false alarms in the past, but we were about to leave the city where we rented the car and drive through several countries over two weeks. This was no time for assumptions. Back we drove to the Sarajevo airport, where we connected with our friendly Sixt Car Rental agent Eldin, who examined the car, reset the warning sign and assured us that all was fine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNd28XPRsp8myUJjEXybPNgDxbG04tFwhsjoETBrP9jbWXQcaRKrwkyEwt3m0y8QnTmiITN-hWrmTcLduZTSP-2Gpgy2dzTfL5mgYYgnyRpNrWw9NgPaue1pId5v6C2wzRGjk-7xCgVLM/s1600/62FD862E-76B6-4D57-856F-665BC5017A45.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNd28XPRsp8myUJjEXybPNgDxbG04tFwhsjoETBrP9jbWXQcaRKrwkyEwt3m0y8QnTmiITN-hWrmTcLduZTSP-2Gpgy2dzTfL5mgYYgnyRpNrWw9NgPaue1pId5v6C2wzRGjk-7xCgVLM/s640/62FD862E-76B6-4D57-856F-665BC5017A45.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">E-73</td></tr>
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As the crow flies, the distance between Sarajevo and Mostar, our destination for the day, was 47 miles. But we had to drive through the Dinaric Alps, covered by thick forests. The A-1 dual carriageway out of Sarajevo soon gave way to a well-maintained, two-lane winding, curving ribbon of road known as the E-73. Punctuated with numerous tunnels, the highway offered up one scenic view after another.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZ1BITwbb-iK2onLPkPzUyOPKUabU4BuWv_-lWJjUXkqdh3KoHQlcydesUTMcXKRVU1KLyJod8rU3yYrJ7LtSKm023hQmLBi0of80F3ALa64Zis3XLxEhAtmB1aAXxj2yvHl3oX3CdrE/s1600/469178EB-A849-4769-AB78-DC7DF23C6D75.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZ1BITwbb-iK2onLPkPzUyOPKUabU4BuWv_-lWJjUXkqdh3KoHQlcydesUTMcXKRVU1KLyJod8rU3yYrJ7LtSKm023hQmLBi0of80F3ALa64Zis3XLxEhAtmB1aAXxj2yvHl3oX3CdrE/s640/469178EB-A849-4769-AB78-DC7DF23C6D75.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jablanica Lake</td></tr>
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Once we passed the town of Konjic, the Neretva River, which had been our constant companion alongside the road, expanded to fill a wide valley, forming Jablanica Lake, a reservoir and popular vacation destination for Bosnians. <br />
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By the time we arrived in Mostar, our trip had taken more than 80 miles and three hours. It was no surprise to see dozens of Sunday afternoon motorcyclists honing their riding skills on the challenging road. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp722HCsyuZ6HWS6o1KwjD2l06uUsZ6gf-4orZLEPfZz-cRnE3NUHYuNEYzlCGl1qqbip7g3D-fFAuWArP0YK16QUCJOPao1MxwPzMoT_eK2HYRGeQcKoVwQTtFgF303T9w6YMbWLAOCQ/s1600/ECAA2840-694F-44A1-B18B-E4480A9AAE58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp722HCsyuZ6HWS6o1KwjD2l06uUsZ6gf-4orZLEPfZz-cRnE3NUHYuNEYzlCGl1qqbip7g3D-fFAuWArP0YK16QUCJOPao1MxwPzMoT_eK2HYRGeQcKoVwQTtFgF303T9w6YMbWLAOCQ/s640/ECAA2840-694F-44A1-B18B-E4480A9AAE58.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stari Most</td></tr>
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The attraction that brings most visitors to Mostar is its picturesque Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva River. Commissioned by none other than Suleiman the Magnificent when this area was part of the Ottoman Empire, the bridge was built to replace an older wooden suspension bridge connecting two parts of the town on opposite banks of the river. Construction began in 1557 and was not completed until nine years later. One of Bosnia's most recognizable landmarks, Stari Most quickly earned a reputation as an engineering marvel of its time. A 17th century travel writer described it: "The bridge is like a rainbow arch soaring up to the skies, extending from one cliff to the other. ...I, a poor and miserable slave of Allah, have passed through 16 countries, but I have never seen such a high bridge."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8A557qHcJUFObFlqxC2vnEL-XUCEla2QlQC15LOtzBRw1zhqkGdOwy3moZfC0U7OKr_WwvSswCYsK4wXhfR2nz7kSfBWWKHXdQSLKHJiLeUkN_6Y7Qj5hNKVAcnpOij41X_O_pgdHno/s1600/ECB14AE4-AA6D-406D-B66C-EB19CE1F0B35.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8A557qHcJUFObFlqxC2vnEL-XUCEla2QlQC15LOtzBRw1zhqkGdOwy3moZfC0U7OKr_WwvSswCYsK4wXhfR2nz7kSfBWWKHXdQSLKHJiLeUkN_6Y7Qj5hNKVAcnpOij41X_O_pgdHno/s640/ECB14AE4-AA6D-406D-B66C-EB19CE1F0B35.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stari Most</td></tr>
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For as long as anyone can remember, young men of the area have felt the need to prove their courage by diving 64 feet off the bridge into the icy water of the Neretva River. The bridge was jammed with tourists today, and a couple of local guys, decked out in their Speedos, were passing a hat to collect enough money to entice them to dive off. We didn't wait to see whether they hit their target amount.<br />
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By the way, this is not the original bridge. After standing for more than 400 years, that one was destroyed in 1993 by Croat shelling during the Bosnian War. Finally in 2004, with funding from UNESCO and many other agencies and foreign governments and NGOs, the bridge was rebuilt using the original specifications and methods. Much of the original building materials that fell into the river were recovered by divers and reused. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXZcupGbfauGcTZ3ZXe4evVoGic6juIn5SLv8gTCLfyc9XpYjtbwnVqnW8zlwzrHlVr01bv6yCsJW6g4trYpz2B_RB2qL-p0reA0xGdIq-b8rpatJYchXXS21UHZgnnO8KFRBXd4BanQ/s1600/9B94EB7D-B8E2-4DF9-BD9F-7814F67A284C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXZcupGbfauGcTZ3ZXe4evVoGic6juIn5SLv8gTCLfyc9XpYjtbwnVqnW8zlwzrHlVr01bv6yCsJW6g4trYpz2B_RB2qL-p0reA0xGdIq-b8rpatJYchXXS21UHZgnnO8KFRBXd4BanQ/s640/9B94EB7D-B8E2-4DF9-BD9F-7814F67A284C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Town shops</td></tr>
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Surrounding the bridge is an area called Old Town, filled with numerous small souvenir shops and cafes, many of which offer a view of the bridge. This area, too, had to be rebuilt after the war. With all the visitors who had come to see the bridge, they were doing a brisk business.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalSbLd7jNbIQr0krC8W__tUPNU9mh_1gx7CVJFPZstdAZHVWaNqY8gmxxKtFKAFEHLd58SCZqWpb6Yqlrghgp4_BTjEUXnYupugVZajyBaTpsAqGjI7g_pAdUsRtExyXvESVRvXnOIdk/s1600/1779512A-78D2-4673-8436-0C7DA1A2BDB8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalSbLd7jNbIQr0krC8W__tUPNU9mh_1gx7CVJFPZstdAZHVWaNqY8gmxxKtFKAFEHLd58SCZqWpb6Yqlrghgp4_BTjEUXnYupugVZajyBaTpsAqGjI7g_pAdUsRtExyXvESVRvXnOIdk/s640/1779512A-78D2-4673-8436-0C7DA1A2BDB8.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partisans Cemetery</td></tr>
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Only one other place in Mostar was on our list to see, so we planned just one night in the city. Built in 1965, the Partisans' Cemetery and memorial holds the remains of 560 Yugoslav soldiers killed in World War II. Arranged in tiers and decorated with abstract concrete sculptures, the cemetery features headstones shaped like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.<br />
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Sadly the cemetery fell into disrepair by the 1990s with graffiti covering most walls and trash littering every corner. After a restoration in 2005 cleaned up and repaired much of the damage, the will to maintain it was not sufficient to keep it from again becoming victim of neo-Nazi graffiti and other vandalism. Behind a wall at the top of the cemetery we found a dozen empty paint thinner cans that had been cut in half, their contents presumably burned.<br />
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Though it is featured on a tourism brochure as a place for visitors to check out, even finding the place meant to honor military heroes was a challenge as there was no signage whatsoever. We asked two different people before finally locating it. Two security guards sat in chairs at the bottom, and we asked if repairs and clean up were planned. "No," we were told. Apparently they were there to prevent further damage.<br />
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Tomorrow we'll leave Bosnia and drive to Dubrovnik on the coast of Croatia.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">SUNDAY, 29 APRIL, 2018</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
• <b>Started in: </b> Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina<br />
• <b>Miles driven:</b> 106<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 5.36<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 60° to 88°, sunny and too hot<br />
• <b>Curves in the road: </b>208<br />
• <b>Motorcycles on the road:</b> 153<br />
• <b>Tunnels along our route: </b>34<br />
• <b>Fish farms along the river: </b>23<br />
• <b>Bridge gawkers:</b> 5,276<br />
• <b>Bridge divers: </b>3<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Loved:</b> The friendliness of the Bosnian people. As we searched for the cemetery, the people we asked, one of whom spoke English, the other only Croatian, clearly wanted to help us find what we sought. A local elderly woman we met as we were leaving the cemetery was eager to engage us in conversation, even though she also spoke only Croatian. Funny how we spoke one language, she another, and yet we all felt that we communicated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Lacking: </b> Consistent care for the cemetery honoring those who gave their lives in defense of their country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Learned:</b> Like Sarajevo, Mostar endured a siege during two phases of the 1990s internecine wars. For three months in 1992, Bosniaks and Croats were under siege by Serbian forces. Later when alliances changed, the Bosnian Croats and Bosniak Muslims began fighting each other, and the eastern Bosniak part of the city was besieged by the Croats for ten months in 1993 and 1994. That's when the old bridge was destroyed, along with numerous mosques and most of Old Town.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Today</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEr8e08dEaPTAg3CaqIEeqUlnU0C6VXyrOfbEEN4r8BQ5nsdNwLbIbeyilpaXl6ceyFUXfKzGRUXrJQmm9FYd3dlRDSAD3dnP5BOzqYfCSwLc_q9bXZJyFjN0lNn4zqhepU3dYmwl4f-M/s1600/4AE11BF4-A930-472B-860B-6D42898F972E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEr8e08dEaPTAg3CaqIEeqUlnU0C6VXyrOfbEEN4r8BQ5nsdNwLbIbeyilpaXl6ceyFUXfKzGRUXrJQmm9FYd3dlRDSAD3dnP5BOzqYfCSwLc_q9bXZJyFjN0lNn4zqhepU3dYmwl4f-M/s640/4AE11BF4-A930-472B-860B-6D42898F972E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neretva River in the town of Jablanica</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jiRZyLO5WYxMyTR4-uiJ4vXugbAYCvlCXCF02OpbMEm1M-8r_a60nUzItFpJ66nzP7K1_hRxaTtq3HaZYPbb3vbY3lZOmJgp7zwPG9hVr5w1B-5ZAI9Yf7YJ5zOTMV_jg8m0WyFVGwo/s1600/03B9FB19-8FC3-41D3-9520-4FA6978810AB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jiRZyLO5WYxMyTR4-uiJ4vXugbAYCvlCXCF02OpbMEm1M-8r_a60nUzItFpJ66nzP7K1_hRxaTtq3HaZYPbb3vbY3lZOmJgp7zwPG9hVr5w1B-5ZAI9Yf7YJ5zOTMV_jg8m0WyFVGwo/s640/03B9FB19-8FC3-41D3-9520-4FA6978810AB.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Renault Clio</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jwbIAWcCuzuhPuO3Q7LcUobyInWz3kjDAh3z4CkS5tX4UPPQo_EOg4Iqvg4A9zQGHLCz6NWVJPw6OXCZjUITYi882y4_fsTlmhB0wBR9eXLMPjsbV3XyLvmMM-THNPKrELOzsUH20c0/s1600/13AA7288-1B1D-4D65-97DA-7546DABE9E82.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jwbIAWcCuzuhPuO3Q7LcUobyInWz3kjDAh3z4CkS5tX4UPPQo_EOg4Iqvg4A9zQGHLCz6NWVJPw6OXCZjUITYi882y4_fsTlmhB0wBR9eXLMPjsbV3XyLvmMM-THNPKrELOzsUH20c0/s640/13AA7288-1B1D-4D65-97DA-7546DABE9E82.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the way these sycamores in Mostar have been given free rein to grow, even into the street.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Yi-lTecF-KTnPccKE_V6JMojSiEvBiPE9hUssK2aU3Hy4AvVrnrLV4aKF_XbA6HlnSVa2mg66vMlACD59OwaMI9VYhPoYzJcE4as-zyKMwyg1IhGea1-IuRixb-tysUJ9fWBvavvOUc/s1600/4435D156-D03B-441A-AE15-E43C9715E7E2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Yi-lTecF-KTnPccKE_V6JMojSiEvBiPE9hUssK2aU3Hy4AvVrnrLV4aKF_XbA6HlnSVa2mg66vMlACD59OwaMI9VYhPoYzJcE4as-zyKMwyg1IhGea1-IuRixb-tysUJ9fWBvavvOUc/s640/4435D156-D03B-441A-AE15-E43C9715E7E2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saw this lovely compound with manicured grounds when looking for the cemetery. <br />Translation of the sign is below. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3tjFyRGS92weRZgAw7BMIb6ZAwEo9lX664RK0XXXN-FNRGYFtXa_jfrijf6piIg9ntd4lDIsOjKoa9_c6ps5fidnXxX5CfHftkPVBov7qiX96ROMRUH7zdKHpd9VIppV3lXqFkxMC4M/s1600/3CF04851-D178-4638-9485-8C7415272BE0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="1218" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3tjFyRGS92weRZgAw7BMIb6ZAwEo9lX664RK0XXXN-FNRGYFtXa_jfrijf6piIg9ntd4lDIsOjKoa9_c6ps5fidnXxX5CfHftkPVBov7qiX96ROMRUH7zdKHpd9VIppV3lXqFkxMC4M/s400/3CF04851-D178-4638-9485-8C7415272BE0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKa72Iz9wQO57YxlRqiuL736DEfZXVybiAXoWMlMvQP4FmSMBOQ2lDfvQC-3FrNtp_iSlUoB3O-I85J1sFh7cYKqnQ5wscfpn4M8T8o5sGpb9AZuahfwKazdr2PUWwpCWVDAhTucGLqQ/s1600/D32CA1BB-E2BB-46C3-A61A-FCB221268538.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKa72Iz9wQO57YxlRqiuL736DEfZXVybiAXoWMlMvQP4FmSMBOQ2lDfvQC-3FrNtp_iSlUoB3O-I85J1sFh7cYKqnQ5wscfpn4M8T8o5sGpb9AZuahfwKazdr2PUWwpCWVDAhTucGLqQ/s640/D32CA1BB-E2BB-46C3-A61A-FCB221268538.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Neretva River from the Old Bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZt7pSW_OrXcVL-E8rDw2pQvdTVm5XkD3gCiBzShZE_QUtl9NF1iNBS6iWKGYe6aCsrYo0jolzfStAPyItJRLr5K8L-elFdtxock4lMhC1qm3kKIBHx2qrYckoR5WhzECm8U6pA3Xhx_k/s1600/0904A67F-AA96-45F1-B411-9E8479B4AC41.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZt7pSW_OrXcVL-E8rDw2pQvdTVm5XkD3gCiBzShZE_QUtl9NF1iNBS6iWKGYe6aCsrYo0jolzfStAPyItJRLr5K8L-elFdtxock4lMhC1qm3kKIBHx2qrYckoR5WhzECm8U6pA3Xhx_k/s640/0904A67F-AA96-45F1-B411-9E8479B4AC41.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onlookers take photos of bridge and wait to see divers. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyf-vRKPIengn4nU3FT5b3ev01Ku3Gfwue4fCJl_xTvm2oiebToGJrcpXtjFDs-oy1GU4oIqYNZLFIBpvpenTAWFT28oEE_NYtctYOsuE3cG-8bT1DhojV1DpMTSZUtO7Dotf2eogFzQ/s1600/C965B9A3-6FB9-4A4A-948F-017782D60502.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggyf-vRKPIengn4nU3FT5b3ev01Ku3Gfwue4fCJl_xTvm2oiebToGJrcpXtjFDs-oy1GU4oIqYNZLFIBpvpenTAWFT28oEE_NYtctYOsuE3cG-8bT1DhojV1DpMTSZUtO7Dotf2eogFzQ/s640/C965B9A3-6FB9-4A4A-948F-017782D60502.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hotel room in Mostar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5neMweaANgFI_PZJ7T5BE_U_LMvuP62p7B1adW6JhaiKbvdlrss7glRN0RVmZDM33A9eaLhnvMGLsiSeBDxU5wY8Uj0d84vvb3KxiWug7ui6RRdzrCfxcubSs1hFsOx3hJuoB0JaWls/s1600/08D5C3C7-F706-4A0C-86BF-627E46911490.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5neMweaANgFI_PZJ7T5BE_U_LMvuP62p7B1adW6JhaiKbvdlrss7glRN0RVmZDM33A9eaLhnvMGLsiSeBDxU5wY8Uj0d84vvb3KxiWug7ui6RRdzrCfxcubSs1hFsOx3hJuoB0JaWls/s640/08D5C3C7-F706-4A0C-86BF-627E46911490.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hotel room in Sarajevo</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comMostar 88000, Bosnia and Herzegovina43.343774800000013 17.8077577999999943.251386300000014 17.646396299999989 43.436163300000011 17.969119299999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-89630526315681330592018-04-28T09:22:00.000-04:002018-04-29T02:59:02.844-04:00Risen from the Ruins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdEmrZDitRWpQU7uTCRAkj0dkoVB6riQ5rEtq5uDG2excP6xZ1uVsROUTdLp0KjG1efH-mUbVRcclJlFfCcTzTJZbQRQMbLQgqEeL4uZMWV_OpzL7sgx7ShlU0z-AT2-b1Dy5fupMvMg/s1600/773544C9-8116-4478-AE8B-BBDA4DB92B6C.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdEmrZDitRWpQU7uTCRAkj0dkoVB6riQ5rEtq5uDG2excP6xZ1uVsROUTdLp0KjG1efH-mUbVRcclJlFfCcTzTJZbQRQMbLQgqEeL4uZMWV_OpzL7sgx7ShlU0z-AT2-b1Dy5fupMvMg/s640/773544C9-8116-4478-AE8B-BBDA4DB92B6C.png" width="640" /></a></div>
CHAPTER 16: IN WHICH WE LEARN ABOUT HISTORY FIRSTHAND<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 32-34: Belgrade, Serbia, to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.</strong> Where were you in 1992? 1993? 1994? 1995? Those of us who are old enough can probably recount many events that took place in our lives over that span of time. For the people of Sarajevo, those four years were spent under siege.<br />
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Just eight years after athletes from a record 49 nations competed in the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo—the first winter Olympics in a Communist location—the city became the victim of the longest siege of a capital city in modern history. When the former federation of Yugoslavia disintegrated in 1990, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a republic in the Yugoslav federation, were divided fairly evenly among Bosniak Muslims, Serbian Christian Orthodox and Croat Catholics. The ethnic Serbians wanted to ally themselves with Serbia, but Bosniaks and Croats voted to declare independence in April, 1992.<br />
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After European nations, the United States and the United Nations recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina's state of independence, Serb forces began shelling Sarajevo. Trapped in a valley surrounded by the Dinaric Alps, Sarajevo, a Bosniak stronghold, was soon encircled by at least 200 reinforced Serbian artillery positions looming on the encircling hills. In early May, the rebellious Bosnian Serbs clamped down a complete blockade of the city. Major access roads were blocked, cutting off supplies of food and medicine. Utilities—water, electricity and heating—were shut down. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 25-meter section of the tunnel preserved at the Sarajevo Tunnel Museum</td></tr>
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A year after the siege began, Bosnian government forces built an underground tunnel to link the beleaguered city, strangled by Serbian forces, to Bosniak-held territory on the other side of the UN-controlled Sarajevo airport and outside the siege zone. About five feet high and a little more than three feet wide, the Tunnel of Hope, as it came to be called, extended for a half a mile beneath the airport runway, connecting two Bosniak neighborhoods and establishing a lifeline for the transfer of food, war supplies humanitarian aid, and people.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKe40RrVFaByyQ1MaBRd4uTnCoay50JaKEZQxdYEQGzac-zxZfxcjOteW8TgRkIc0QanKnF-F9M56FlWEXznlXHA1hjkc8zAbg7aFUaYKlTiU4PFQ4x-hFhyJ_j8C3p4RWPOtB_4mpWo/s1600/70056D61-4D67-4133-91F6-E1FA7DDD20D5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKe40RrVFaByyQ1MaBRd4uTnCoay50JaKEZQxdYEQGzac-zxZfxcjOteW8TgRkIc0QanKnF-F9M56FlWEXznlXHA1hjkc8zAbg7aFUaYKlTiU4PFQ4x-hFhyJ_j8C3p4RWPOtB_4mpWo/s640/70056D61-4D67-4133-91F6-E1FA7DDD20D5.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnel Museum in the former home whose cellar was the entrance to the Sarajevo end.</td></tr>
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About a year after it was built, a makeshift railway system was installed to facilitate the transfer of materials and people. Communication and electric cables inserted through the tunnel allowed Sarajevo to reconnect with the rest of the world. On average, three to four thousand people and 30 tons of materials passed through the tunnel daily.<br />
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Meanwhile, the shelling continued, and snipers constantly threatened Sarajevans. Over the course of the next three years—until the intervention of the UN and NATO forces finally broke the siege in October, 1995—virtually every building in Sarajevo suffered some type of damage. Almost 65% of buildings were heavily damaged, and in excess of 35,000 buildings were completely destroyed, including civilian and protected targets such as apartment buildings and hospitals. More than 11,000 Sarajevans died in the siege, including at least 1,500 children.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyay9PczmeWsHsmZ1LL05FdFvJpZKcIQg1Wzae-SbQ5g4PV9pjehw9Dr4-xsUW5jGijaSAg7BERG0oLls31R2YgkI9VA6kyWKRhOGL4Rd0zzvSp3KuHcTAjWpXR6GBoEvDS4p66gYjn_w/s1600/article-2126117-127D7440000005DC-896_634x563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="634" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyay9PczmeWsHsmZ1LL05FdFvJpZKcIQg1Wzae-SbQ5g4PV9pjehw9Dr4-xsUW5jGijaSAg7BERG0oLls31R2YgkI9VA6kyWKRhOGL4Rd0zzvSp3KuHcTAjWpXR6GBoEvDS4p66gYjn_w/s640/article-2126117-127D7440000005DC-896_634x563.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At a 20th anniversary memorial, red chairs represented the Sarajevans killed during the siege. <i>(Photo by AP)</i></td></tr>
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In the last 25 years, Sarajevo has made a substantial physical recovery, though abandoned shells of buildings can still be seen, as well as scars where buildings were peppered with bullets. Of course, the victims can never be restored, and, tragically, the restoration of the city's pre-war harmonious relations between ethnic groups has been all but impossible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cAAONjfP9OONtQFz8ZNWmiz3QQqFzTu9Df75S5OZs0Ttvm9fxRcYV3Ctrn7D__iakE_LSMqIu-fR3BdHGX9D3NZoO80E5I7xhxDl3FwxjNvyNxid6CCbb-AFB1CrfRSLyaql06zO_Vg/s1600/90E85CF3-7FDE-4B68-8099-BCCCFE612B1C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cAAONjfP9OONtQFz8ZNWmiz3QQqFzTu9Df75S5OZs0Ttvm9fxRcYV3Ctrn7D__iakE_LSMqIu-fR3BdHGX9D3NZoO80E5I7xhxDl3FwxjNvyNxid6CCbb-AFB1CrfRSLyaql06zO_Vg/s640/90E85CF3-7FDE-4B68-8099-BCCCFE612B1C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still pockmarked after 25 years</td></tr>
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Though visitors are well advised to be aware of Sarajevo's history, events of the past 25 years are not nearly all that define this city founded in 1461 when the area was ruled by the Ottoman Empire. In the following year, a Turkish style bazaar was established to serve the commercial needs of the city. By the 1600s, more than 1,000 tiny shops lined its dozens of narrow streets, each dedicated to a single craft. The bazaar remains quite active today, though one wonders how so many shops selling identical wares–now probably made in China—can survive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TwzwrobadsVJqR4nEtv2to2dMF1U5gSY7UCVWzAUXcI93OdCyhjfL9-QPRXBpUpMWL6tDKbuhmvTwcFyg1EVHGVmR1kIPvMf-6t0ANXu0ldifm-vcRgpg7ZastGqlaB0mzhw5QFcDgo/s1600/1CC1D62E-37A6-4AFC-8162-7586BAEC751F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TwzwrobadsVJqR4nEtv2to2dMF1U5gSY7UCVWzAUXcI93OdCyhjfL9-QPRXBpUpMWL6tDKbuhmvTwcFyg1EVHGVmR1kIPvMf-6t0ANXu0ldifm-vcRgpg7ZastGqlaB0mzhw5QFcDgo/s640/1CC1D62E-37A6-4AFC-8162-7586BAEC751F.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shops on this street all seemed to be offering the same merchandise.</td></tr>
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Before the Bosnian War in the 1990s, Sarajevo was a haven of religious tolerance. Sometimes called the "Jerusalem of Europe" due to its diversity, the city is Europe's only capital to house a mosque, a synagogue, a Christian Orthodox church and a Catholic church in the same neighborhood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCUmaA0ue1X880SuAUI-qsWcRqdCSeebtp91-aDMt9H_4sn1YGOg9mQldzYWBULEw_UWm0QrK-AEFuaTy8gPR-4430s5baAItd85QWqVyw-YGmSAFxoUMFdF9j55MPG_p7q3bJSoX2WU/s1600/1F4F6233-9447-43C1-9F62-334D8ED231FE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCUmaA0ue1X880SuAUI-qsWcRqdCSeebtp91-aDMt9H_4sn1YGOg9mQldzYWBULEw_UWm0QrK-AEFuaTy8gPR-4430s5baAItd85QWqVyw-YGmSAFxoUMFdF9j55MPG_p7q3bJSoX2WU/s640/1F4F6233-9447-43C1-9F62-334D8ED231FE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: left;">Gazi Husrev</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); text-align: left;">-</span><span style="text-align: left;">bey Mosque</span></span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tR87bu5Dz2FM0ZW41u5BLQ9LRBlRZZESb7R9jyaWBddn8RWeIriA2IGXsyBdrRtVKdlKo4bqpw1QAQSNorEXZNHGYXx0k9CTtKrurPyciOCXhCBclweSJEig-ulGm-2j4FxweLLK2NE/s1600/64D5BBAB-AA6E-4309-88FD-30F82C7F3CA5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tR87bu5Dz2FM0ZW41u5BLQ9LRBlRZZESb7R9jyaWBddn8RWeIriA2IGXsyBdrRtVKdlKo4bqpw1QAQSNorEXZNHGYXx0k9CTtKrurPyciOCXhCBclweSJEig-ulGm-2j4FxweLLK2NE/s640/64D5BBAB-AA6E-4309-88FD-30F82C7F3CA5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sacred Heart (Catholic) Cathedral</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-t0WAnRj2Qxi0eos4sNpVZt5jtxCb5bQBUMhvvDbIMWlYJCbgvLjb_Zt3ReyobqxgH_Y0SfsSLzHkc6gwBle-qtAsauivbn-LFiW1SaWpL0C5nlYIorzmDOgQd2QfDjxBt1XW5ORPos/s1600/81D9B998-E21D-4BD3-89BE-28684A4BE1A0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-t0WAnRj2Qxi0eos4sNpVZt5jtxCb5bQBUMhvvDbIMWlYJCbgvLjb_Zt3ReyobqxgH_Y0SfsSLzHkc6gwBle-qtAsauivbn-LFiW1SaWpL0C5nlYIorzmDOgQd2QfDjxBt1XW5ORPos/s640/81D9B998-E21D-4BD3-89BE-28684A4BE1A0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">16th century synagogue, now a Jewish museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3o58HkFlz_D6_eFV7vSF8lm6OPAZdRJdYLvJ-f00kfFiN2KvbHOCKv9RxTf7tlYae99kth1ajNCeNNOBNVSW3TyU-mBiEInTacl_biyVlmcYQihL-bl44AnMqOxERMG8-9_9QhRQxytQ/s1600/E0C97879-01A2-4B1E-B0C6-207C2E3B1BE3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="1600" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3o58HkFlz_D6_eFV7vSF8lm6OPAZdRJdYLvJ-f00kfFiN2KvbHOCKv9RxTf7tlYae99kth1ajNCeNNOBNVSW3TyU-mBiEInTacl_biyVlmcYQihL-bl44AnMqOxERMG8-9_9QhRQxytQ/s640/E0C97879-01A2-4B1E-B0C6-207C2E3B1BE3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congregational Church of the Holy Mother (Serbian Orthodox) </td></tr>
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Because of its location on a hilltop overlooking the city, Sarajevo's Old Jewish Cemetery, established in 1630, became an attractive military position during the Bosnian War. Held by Serbs, the cemetery became a front line position and was hit by considerable artillery fire from both sides. By war's end, the cemetery had also been saturated with land mines. More than 70 were removed after the war.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikN92h3SptHZ0Ez_YqmhCEl39DWHBmN8Y5JxcOCu8FQTCZMr2v1rqSbNDevd0qWiVchCHdIRMpShiZctDc2Z-KOdp_RRJ-aOg6w7A2WE42hsTZXMGsRbaB5OTNsJpBUeyN-ssr4LuCc2o/s1600/9AE94F4E-638C-4662-873E-0FDDA3C19B95.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikN92h3SptHZ0Ez_YqmhCEl39DWHBmN8Y5JxcOCu8FQTCZMr2v1rqSbNDevd0qWiVchCHdIRMpShiZctDc2Z-KOdp_RRJ-aOg6w7A2WE42hsTZXMGsRbaB5OTNsJpBUeyN-ssr4LuCc2o/s640/9AE94F4E-638C-4662-873E-0FDDA3C19B95.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These headstones are just pockmarked by bullet fire; many others lay on the ground.</td></tr>
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One of our favorite places we visited in the Sarajevo area was a star of the 1984 Olympics and is becoming a popular tourist attraction, though the tour buses don't seem to have put it on their route yet. We did not expect to enjoy it as much as we did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxHe2kP0XNuzNuQYCnf7gDneFT3wave7h3zh_xjHJTR6yX8sw3ppadPlkqPK_tVmVLgIydw5snt5GtoTrHrDHeiiNbavpMrSHg57jjaRy-lzqZKr53b877tPnqpss9-ytG9RjYiKqIMY/s1600/8CD19A61-CF65-4423-B2F1-0075E795BAEC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxHe2kP0XNuzNuQYCnf7gDneFT3wave7h3zh_xjHJTR6yX8sw3ppadPlkqPK_tVmVLgIydw5snt5GtoTrHrDHeiiNbavpMrSHg57jjaRy-lzqZKr53b877tPnqpss9-ytG9RjYiKqIMY/s640/8CD19A61-CF65-4423-B2F1-0075E795BAEC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
The 1.3-km bobsled track was built on Mount Trebević for the games. After the Olympics, amateurs were allowed to race down the track in rubber dinghies. During the Bosnian War, it became an artillery position, and much of the track was destroyed. Today, it lies abandoned, but talented graffiti artists have brought color and life back to the concrete structure. Brave bicyclists and skaters occasionally race down the track as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FXk5hQdJ94sayldk_syba8xHQfMm6v08jDtWQb_ReE6gAlasRWiQiRJYN2iXL5HN3cSJEWIOHuezE-i3AGs3wLZTHOkMlvftuFPN8rvWhFPid9bLpWXjKRt1xRKjKmt9Ha4ek-PIzJ4/s1600/2A2663F3-1696-475C-AAFB-1B5E7EFBEB4C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FXk5hQdJ94sayldk_syba8xHQfMm6v08jDtWQb_ReE6gAlasRWiQiRJYN2iXL5HN3cSJEWIOHuezE-i3AGs3wLZTHOkMlvftuFPN8rvWhFPid9bLpWXjKRt1xRKjKmt9Ha4ek-PIzJ4/s640/2A2663F3-1696-475C-AAFB-1B5E7EFBEB4C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The track winds its way through an evergreen forest.</td></tr>
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With a population just below a half million, Sarajevo is a compact city but it carries a deep history. Despite its recent tragedies—experienced firsthand by most of its current citizens—we found the city's resilient people to be incredibly friendly, helpful and welcoming. We enjoyed our time here immensely, but tomorrow it's time for us to hit the road and drive to Mostar, another popular Bosnian city. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">THURSDAY, 26 APRIL — SATURDAY, 28 APRIL, 2018</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Belgrade, Serbia<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina<br />
• <b>Miles flown:</b> 130<br />
• <b>Miles driven: </b>52<br />
• <b>Miles walked: </b>17.08<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 46° to 80°, sunny to partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Car washes in town:</b> 46<br />
• <b>Cuckoo birds heard in forest near bobsled track:</b> 2<br />
• <b>Trams with more than full capacity: </b>100%<br />
• <b>Shop windows being washed in early morning:</b> 79<br />
• <b>Hostels in Sarajevo:</b> 56<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Loved: </b> Despite the fact that Sarajevans older than 25 all might have lived through a brutal four-year siege, the city has an energetic and positive vibe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Lacking: </b> Earlier action by the UN or western powers during the siege. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan stated: "The United Nations' experience in Bosnia was one of the most difficult and painful in our history. No one regrets, more than we, the opportunities for achieving peace and justice that were missed. No one laments, more than we, the failure of the international community to take decisive action to halt the suffering and end a war that had produced so many victims."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Learned:</b> That people of different ethnicity and religions who have previously engaged in a vicious war can peacefully coexist. Though the same level of acceptance and tolerance that existed before the war has not returned, there was no evident hostility between the various groups, even a short 25 years later. This stands in contrast to the "Forget? Hell, no!" attitude that still festers among some Southerners in the U.S. more than 150 years after a conflict that involved no deep-seated religious or ethnic differences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>One Last Serbian Surprise: </b>When we arrived at the airport for our flight from Belgrade to Sarajevo, we went through our usual preparations before a security screening (emptying pockets, removing watches and belts, tossing bottles of water, etc.). After we joined the line, we noticed a kid ahead of us spilled some water and wondered if Serbia had different rules and we had ditched ours </span>unnecessarily. <br />
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As we wound our way through the crowd control stanchions, it became apparent that we were queued up for passport control, not for a security screening. Moreover, it was clear that on the other side of the immigration desks was an ordinary concourse, not a security screening station. Needless to say in 2018, we found it exceedingly odd that passengers didn't seem to be undergoing an examination of their belongings before boarding an international flight.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9uMC1SHMpI8fU-givupV0WQabT3-VvurwgoLLcryj8APuNz3fh_xraUwzGCDB7wrgft3JAtf9DAL5MTWOWf6R6r6Zne4dW3Ox_oiE_Qb5R_NrU0jgJN6-i83DNwCnSqQkl1nghYP5_Y/s1600/686603AB-2D56-440D-AF72-FCDDBCA0C494.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9uMC1SHMpI8fU-givupV0WQabT3-VvurwgoLLcryj8APuNz3fh_xraUwzGCDB7wrgft3JAtf9DAL5MTWOWf6R6r6Zne4dW3Ox_oiE_Qb5R_NrU0jgJN6-i83DNwCnSqQkl1nghYP5_Y/s640/686603AB-2D56-440D-AF72-FCDDBCA0C494.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gateside security screening—not exactly economy of scale</td></tr>
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At a kiosk on the concourse, I pulled a couple of cold bottles of water out of the cooler to replace our discarded ones. "Be sure to drink them before you get to the gate," the helpful cashier warned. Finally, two and two became four and we realized that the Belgrade airport has equipped gates with their own security screening stations, which open 30 minutes before the flight is scheduled to depart. Until that time passengers stand around waiting as the available seating is extremely limited.<br />
<br />
Yes, everyone and their bags were screened before boarding, but the economics of so much duplication of equipment, sitting idle most of the day, left us scratching our heads. </div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Sarajevo</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXpzpnFtU4MzgM9rkQBApmZY0JHGiJwi2tkSVybU0nzzOkXwzjYmgEJuJXK_yoIjEA8CHgOzU7z2KwRLo-8pLEneEpqsAJMssTVG2BZ7ELBNKc7Eh-0vtkHX4x5QxLZkgtEHbDtbubZw/s1600/2A4CE975-766D-4525-94FE-DE89BC937D15.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXpzpnFtU4MzgM9rkQBApmZY0JHGiJwi2tkSVybU0nzzOkXwzjYmgEJuJXK_yoIjEA8CHgOzU7z2KwRLo-8pLEneEpqsAJMssTVG2BZ7ELBNKc7Eh-0vtkHX4x5QxLZkgtEHbDtbubZw/s640/2A4CE975-766D-4525-94FE-DE89BC937D15.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love a specialty shop—shoelaces in every color and length imaginable </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBlG5xuwAgrytvwLFNVDKUQy3V0fu7nKx0yX3pSWQ1GfWlP8YlRvSq7u9a9-soKPyMIniaeKC_hw-cpVW7ZwSKUd0SsDs4rCTsX6wqVmnP-E3uHXLy_IN9LNi4qE54jZQduzHrz3B6hk/s1600/9188C129-EB15-4272-827D-D02A6CA33320.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBlG5xuwAgrytvwLFNVDKUQy3V0fu7nKx0yX3pSWQ1GfWlP8YlRvSq7u9a9-soKPyMIniaeKC_hw-cpVW7ZwSKUd0SsDs4rCTsX6wqVmnP-E3uHXLy_IN9LNi4qE54jZQduzHrz3B6hk/s640/9188C129-EB15-4272-827D-D02A6CA33320.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great product name of the day </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6bfUbx0Z9-ufRzGeGBV6sgTWrQYoQC7QLMGWWAOFlKtRiLe2mN4qo1ihT9CI7FU2J48eE5ws3GlGyctMnszgCXfX8VxzI5EM_G40wno6iRogsXgnPmfeDeBCaNuegLy6Bx0fcxap_ss/s1600/019B92F8-B549-4256-9AFF-BC1473990F42.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6bfUbx0Z9-ufRzGeGBV6sgTWrQYoQC7QLMGWWAOFlKtRiLe2mN4qo1ihT9CI7FU2J48eE5ws3GlGyctMnszgCXfX8VxzI5EM_G40wno6iRogsXgnPmfeDeBCaNuegLy6Bx0fcxap_ss/s640/019B92F8-B549-4256-9AFF-BC1473990F42.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a tease for a Target discount store fan! This Bosnian version of the same name sells video games.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpyqfXHY_74UT5awJKgHLVrysyKabibUtP7YZ2FAMaEXwh3TGI_OTn5AfVz6PXFTLqDpuYMckSj0YvYjgLPCknVeK-ZfDzcQm7izUpqS6zlHrYaqRx3nG6qIN3y-cSWnkreKrHB4KoOjI/s1600/00197CC7-21F4-44CC-97D3-763E1B3ADE2B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpyqfXHY_74UT5awJKgHLVrysyKabibUtP7YZ2FAMaEXwh3TGI_OTn5AfVz6PXFTLqDpuYMckSj0YvYjgLPCknVeK-ZfDzcQm7izUpqS6zlHrYaqRx3nG6qIN3y-cSWnkreKrHB4KoOjI/s640/00197CC7-21F4-44CC-97D3-763E1B3ADE2B.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not exactly the image Coca-Cola tries to cultivate in the U.S.<br />
Caption: "Fall in love with the new taste of lemon. 0 sugar, 0 calories"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZIVMvuyjsA4w_gA7VLN21W3YPI8yVi4EX0EsOhDib1HFw1UA4TN9ixU7R-9ncQKYDHZ-PY0dqx6nD-mDYfTJUG_jdcwTujyMxOs7rx6MiAaE9WFf83QRzr5s9EIVI2FtJC9CPUJP72Q/s1600/F07D2065-06BC-4ECA-B315-12938CD47EF6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1600" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZIVMvuyjsA4w_gA7VLN21W3YPI8yVi4EX0EsOhDib1HFw1UA4TN9ixU7R-9ncQKYDHZ-PY0dqx6nD-mDYfTJUG_jdcwTujyMxOs7rx6MiAaE9WFf83QRzr5s9EIVI2FtJC9CPUJP72Q/s640/F07D2065-06BC-4ECA-B315-12938CD47EF6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puzzling store display trend of the day: Mannequins often are barefoot with shoes nearby.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTQN79jCaaUNVrCQ7K1i1bp3XkjyApIf4S4ZTjtzmto6o0H286C391CM8N1s-z7znFE9KOrtxpsPKV5xf3GXJWsuRruX4qQyI7Y0PB-wAMjMXTQR9kQk_jOoZle3dPe3TK9g0FhoTpdE/s1600/C2F9E017-EAA6-419D-B523-95A566962A74.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwTQN79jCaaUNVrCQ7K1i1bp3XkjyApIf4S4ZTjtzmto6o0H286C391CM8N1s-z7znFE9KOrtxpsPKV5xf3GXJWsuRruX4qQyI7Y0PB-wAMjMXTQR9kQk_jOoZle3dPe3TK9g0FhoTpdE/s640/C2F9E017-EAA6-419D-B523-95A566962A74.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One wrong turn can take you on a lengthy journey through cramped two-way streets of one-way width.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYXhKgbPMQrIjT_moas3TSAo-q4_jPGmZulvslXNy7vdcl-YFHFcOe172X7hwme-q6SoJ52CsZuUcfKARh2-YJXMfDos7mNdju1SlmHY31cxXlkNZ70ewlOIvvYoW6qhmO1VYGWs6Yu4/s1600/2D98D21A-23E1-40BA-9F7B-EDC053D14F02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1600" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYXhKgbPMQrIjT_moas3TSAo-q4_jPGmZulvslXNy7vdcl-YFHFcOe172X7hwme-q6SoJ52CsZuUcfKARh2-YJXMfDos7mNdju1SlmHY31cxXlkNZ70ewlOIvvYoW6qhmO1VYGWs6Yu4/s640/2D98D21A-23E1-40BA-9F7B-EDC053D14F02.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Be still my heart. Washer and...TUMBLE DRYER!! (unheard of for consumers in Europe) at our Marriott hotel!!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTF2LOilKBAc7ycdgksARckAOAmapiz8BhZlXADf00I9VQEC6apHB7x_PplRyBZX0XQ1IGsuVnMOkDKKjD8FkMDlDEI8oT6ufpb0zISxe9rrHyU08UH0J0XEQeXtxz2OQg0jMk19-cgI/s1600/F5DA321B-97D9-4072-9133-5D9C21266275.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTF2LOilKBAc7ycdgksARckAOAmapiz8BhZlXADf00I9VQEC6apHB7x_PplRyBZX0XQ1IGsuVnMOkDKKjD8FkMDlDEI8oT6ufpb0zISxe9rrHyU08UH0J0XEQeXtxz2OQg0jMk19-cgI/s640/F5DA321B-97D9-4072-9133-5D9C21266275.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street chess in Liberation Square: definitely a spectator sport!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpW2iLKyd8NEL_1IfiBWdIuxB_LWFtbShOIg3JXErrrso7dKlASUx1eqSY1GXkRjrWvPLfWzS7YSC0pFbOOijKYuAovf3Mx-upHdsQVftkackBd6xbiDMlL7LSlb491dFhlDXxoj0bUr4/s1600/1C30014B-0615-4F3B-81F5-13E4C0351650.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpW2iLKyd8NEL_1IfiBWdIuxB_LWFtbShOIg3JXErrrso7dKlASUx1eqSY1GXkRjrWvPLfWzS7YSC0pFbOOijKYuAovf3Mx-upHdsQVftkackBd6xbiDMlL7LSlb491dFhlDXxoj0bUr4/s640/1C30014B-0615-4F3B-81F5-13E4C0351650.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of Liberation Square, not quite as manicured as other cities we've visited but still lovely.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbVjKkIGRgdGg_rpwGhOEcGSBt8iq3mdtZqjtp3ib2RRBhxQ06r8FrXvK-Rx0aYs3Xu2NMgUUAqoMJZ1A4ifxTpITM_sMJTrTkR33Fxvesx-SyNBJ80jBJcyxDazd69SF1KkflSeCa0I/s1600/C3883FE4-E897-4472-81BD-9E65ED348610.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSbVjKkIGRgdGg_rpwGhOEcGSBt8iq3mdtZqjtp3ib2RRBhxQ06r8FrXvK-Rx0aYs3Xu2NMgUUAqoMJZ1A4ifxTpITM_sMJTrTkR33Fxvesx-SyNBJ80jBJcyxDazd69SF1KkflSeCa0I/s640/C3883FE4-E897-4472-81BD-9E65ED348610.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old bazaar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy63PxrGb1M0bt6JcwiqU-O7F0RcsXc02Yqu87KLvGlrqt5NOIU5B02bqb34GWdJd7tvDeRpZPo9vfIWaTwwgKQKdbwu4m3pt74J0wMwNey0kQ5Y_JgJilW4uObN8ixjC0XsbDMxNhaGA/s1600/ED44FD8B-F33D-480E-9109-F58355223DA0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy63PxrGb1M0bt6JcwiqU-O7F0RcsXc02Yqu87KLvGlrqt5NOIU5B02bqb34GWdJd7tvDeRpZPo9vfIWaTwwgKQKdbwu4m3pt74J0wMwNey0kQ5Y_JgJilW4uObN8ixjC0XsbDMxNhaGA/s640/ED44FD8B-F33D-480E-9109-F58355223DA0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old market again</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr27y1Z_1HJ27zNSFAQnHimCA6Zon0pSn0_2NGmoK8FRc-5wwA4l7bSi0tWC4joTEtwmgUcEXiaDMTZhoeLNuCxi9Yw21gejQBSDqZHts0xExxHQW6xhTZ0_tgKIQ5pNM_Re8bisfvadI/s1600/C52DB40D-4F91-4EA8-9BA2-D228125CC41F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr27y1Z_1HJ27zNSFAQnHimCA6Zon0pSn0_2NGmoK8FRc-5wwA4l7bSi0tWC4joTEtwmgUcEXiaDMTZhoeLNuCxi9Yw21gejQBSDqZHts0xExxHQW6xhTZ0_tgKIQ5pNM_Re8bisfvadI/s640/C52DB40D-4F91-4EA8-9BA2-D228125CC41F.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old market area is full of sidewalk cafes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdUufucFhNoBBPrhRyznu4EalDZ0J0fEkqsPawV_eD981IUTT6CjLQnpp9w_OR0IEwunqBIwITmaR2VLPEv6kaA8bqCqLGYcA-Smx-FTk1cAomR0bdZibvDowI1QO7z2cjTIuDnAhCP4/s1600/DB24B6BD-BBE8-4ED8-83DC-2E5E4D189566.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdUufucFhNoBBPrhRyznu4EalDZ0J0fEkqsPawV_eD981IUTT6CjLQnpp9w_OR0IEwunqBIwITmaR2VLPEv6kaA8bqCqLGYcA-Smx-FTk1cAomR0bdZibvDowI1QO7z2cjTIuDnAhCP4/s640/DB24B6BD-BBE8-4ED8-83DC-2E5E4D189566.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Called Sarajevo Roses, craters left by shelling were filled with red when a casualty occurred there.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comSarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina43.8562586 18.41307630000005743.6731771 18.090352800000058 44.0393401 18.735799800000056tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-92055409602664805232018-04-25T17:43:00.000-04:002018-04-26T02:03:45.162-04:00Serbian Surprises<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOfOeWMVD2ilEY2lzPpr5aFA7vdNCKXSSmsTq2oUGSXlQ-iMZ3fmH-ugYlEhmulGNHKXfAA7zr2R9m0cIZA2MwnOxNiyzcR7t0NTaQAoswxi9Zet1Q_2dw2To9S2kbFW5SW9ZR22AkvE/s1600/05423F28-536A-4F09-B2C1-CAF13828B38C.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOfOeWMVD2ilEY2lzPpr5aFA7vdNCKXSSmsTq2oUGSXlQ-iMZ3fmH-ugYlEhmulGNHKXfAA7zr2R9m0cIZA2MwnOxNiyzcR7t0NTaQAoswxi9Zet1Q_2dw2To9S2kbFW5SW9ZR22AkvE/s640/05423F28-536A-4F09-B2C1-CAF13828B38C.png" width="640" /></a></div>
CHAPTER 15: IN WHICH WE OVERLOAD THE ASTONISHMENT METER<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 29-31: Sofia, Bulgaria to Belgrade, Serbia.</strong> After an uneventful flight from Sofia with Air Serbia, we arrived at the Belgrade airport with plans to take a taxi to our hotel in the city. Having done a bit of research, we followed the recommended procedure by going to the Taxi Info desk, obtaining a voucher stating our destination and the proscribed fare. Only after inquiring what we should do next did one of the idle and disinterested agents staffing the desk refer us to the designated place outside and instruct us to get into the first taxi in line. That was the beginning of our Serbian surprises, the good, the bad and the neutral. <br />
<br />
<b>The Maniac Taxi Driver</b><br />
Our first impression of the taxi we won in the who's-next lottery was that it had not been cleaned since the day it was manufactured in 2004. The exterior was not too bad, but the car's grimy interior looked as if someone had mistakenly blasted the full load of a of a well-used vacuum cleaner's dust bag onto every surface. The heat was stifling with the sun beating down relentlessly, and, of course, the vehicle had no air conditioning. Reluctantly, we got into the taxi and began the ride that we later thought might be our last.<br />
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Like a 13-year-old who had sneaked the keys and gone for a joy ride in his parents' car, the maniac taxi driver we lucked into barreled into rush hour traffic as if the highway were empty. With cars ahead at a standstill, he floored the accelerator, screeching to a halt mere inches from the car in front of him, jerking us around like a game of bumper cars. Then he began blowing his horn, as if the hundreds of cars in front of him were stopped for no reason.<br />
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When we asked him to slow down, he feigned a lack of comprehension and stepped up his game like a recalcitrant toddler determined to do the opposite of what you ask. Forced to idle on the clogged freeway, he shot into the emergency lane (the only vehicle there) and left the highway, only to encounter more congestion on the surface streets. When more blaring of his horn didn't magically make the traffic disappear, he recklessly darted into lanes designated for trolleys or buses (again the only vehicle to do so), narrowly missing unwitting pedestrians on numerous occasions. Our request to drop us off midway through the trip fell on deaf ears.<br />
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By the time we reached our hotel some 40 hellacious minutes after leaving the airport, we again told him that we did not appreciate him endangering our lives with his irrational driving. He laughed. He most certainly knew exactly what we were saying and what we had asked repeatedly along the way. When I raised my phone to take a photo of him and his car so we could complain to the airport taxi stand, he posed with a big smile.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgH-OpySMGNn5uuDt_7YiZVmZpme_j2c_2vwUv9Ac8d14QqKIYLCB0gsdQVC9Rmyb5pOXrZ8vZ5zypYiswGtxXMMYrSijL8TaFHtEQUXG2RwdbznDhSYUx3mclHfw07kQRZyySQucmZc/s1600/DDCFC765-B1A8-4199-90A7-48AC7867C784.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgH-OpySMGNn5uuDt_7YiZVmZpme_j2c_2vwUv9Ac8d14QqKIYLCB0gsdQVC9Rmyb5pOXrZ8vZ5zypYiswGtxXMMYrSijL8TaFHtEQUXG2RwdbznDhSYUx3mclHfw07kQRZyySQucmZc/s640/DDCFC765-B1A8-4199-90A7-48AC7867C784.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Only later did we finally catch on that he couldn't wait to get back to his like-minded maniac taxi driver pals and brag about scaring the pants off some American tourists he had taken for a ride. Sadly, when we mentioned this experience to various people, beginning with the hotel desk clerk, they expressed sympathy but not surprise. <br />
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<b>The Unfinished Churches of Belgrade</b><br />
Sitting on a plateau at the highest point in the city, the imposing Temple of Saint Sava, named for the first archbishop of the Serbian Orthodox church, looks like the city's crowning jewel with its white marble facade and patinated copper domes topped with a forty-foot golden cross.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOdNA5lElpPY32E4mwvJKt1OlDIiCSdOKy5FUWnrBQB9LEemzv42LCtOspJvHwz0cNu-B-ipnux4WqDIkpWkWzbFoACvuvFVy6bKZL0bSypyStWWB4V15OwRo30hlmg0shJt6hRixgUI/s1600/Hram-Svetog-Save1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="800" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOdNA5lElpPY32E4mwvJKt1OlDIiCSdOKy5FUWnrBQB9LEemzv42LCtOspJvHwz0cNu-B-ipnux4WqDIkpWkWzbFoACvuvFVy6bKZL0bSypyStWWB4V15OwRo30hlmg0shJt6hRixgUI/s640/Hram-Svetog-Save1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belgrade cityscape dominated by St. Sava <i>(photo from serbia.com tourism site)</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXoDDCG_96o3_4_7rjEUa8cxHjstnAtRHt4b261s2AJ67epVYHKCrJmJBDWuorNc4HCg6s0hIv7xeBiafmiTfzNToX4ClwElWRF8m3EehVOn2YKS4FOpqEdH-MZrs-gdF-chSnYLlgJk/s1600/8E7474B1-F192-4452-82DD-26D00D82A48C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1600" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXoDDCG_96o3_4_7rjEUa8cxHjstnAtRHt4b261s2AJ67epVYHKCrJmJBDWuorNc4HCg6s0hIv7xeBiafmiTfzNToX4ClwElWRF8m3EehVOn2YKS4FOpqEdH-MZrs-gdF-chSnYLlgJk/s640/8E7474B1-F192-4452-82DD-26D00D82A48C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Saint Sava</td></tr>
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Enter its doors, however, and you're in for a surprise. Inside the largest church in Serbia and the most massive Orthodox place of worship in the Balkans—called lovingly 'the Orthodox heart of Belgrade' and 'the pillar of Serbian faith'—the interior is largely unfinished. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nwTVEdUhZjTeM7mYnARL-ecgZ7l-WvLJlc_OBAzGP0PpfY8DPUkjM4U3EmowbvK_NeFx-ntpAXKPQEKDKIuxN7BrgxXlKxS_LD-JbH1eP8W47GqdToBu7l1-3Tn7nehS9VyjuVKpD7I/s1600/C8C8C950-76A9-475A-B872-086DE06E98D6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nwTVEdUhZjTeM7mYnARL-ecgZ7l-WvLJlc_OBAzGP0PpfY8DPUkjM4U3EmowbvK_NeFx-ntpAXKPQEKDKIuxN7BrgxXlKxS_LD-JbH1eP8W47GqdToBu7l1-3Tn7nehS9VyjuVKpD7I/s640/C8C8C950-76A9-475A-B872-086DE06E98D6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of St. Sava</td></tr>
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Following a tour group into the temple, we were astounded by what we found there. Having read that the church was "finished" in 1989, we first thought we were seeing a bizarrely thorough renovation where everything had been stripped from the walls and ceilings and floors. We were wrong. </div>
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Planned in 1893, construction on the gargantuan church began in 1935, but politics and war and more politics and more war stalled work on the temple for decades. Though the exterior was mostly finished in the late 1980s, the enormous nave is still little more than a concrete shell. Only the dome's stunningly beautiful interior is complete, installation having just wound up in March of this year.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzimeHltjaoeJ5syfUuW7zY87nxVoVDyzazCX8WPFmL6qXdOodJSZGmSG4iA6yujXBmLSa3yCV644G9kMR4xmYMv32mXtu-LAoQsiGf09EfZ_1MdeMOi4KmToEucCD1ZypKvDlkK8eEg/s1600/CA01CD05-DC20-4CC9-A36C-CF431EC7C307.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzimeHltjaoeJ5syfUuW7zY87nxVoVDyzazCX8WPFmL6qXdOodJSZGmSG4iA6yujXBmLSa3yCV644G9kMR4xmYMv32mXtu-LAoQsiGf09EfZ_1MdeMOi4KmToEucCD1ZypKvDlkK8eEg/s640/CA01CD05-DC20-4CC9-A36C-CF431EC7C307.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">St Sava dome</td></tr>
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Down a pristine set of gleaming marble stairs from the dust and scaffolding, the temple's underground crypt was another unexpected sight. Thinking we'd see more construction materials piled up waiting for installation, we almost skipped the opportunity to visit the crypt. We were glad we did not.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmwapVXneMCiIuzl9ryHlZi1tOPqTLhOJNLCNpYi-hAuGkusnuOlGicHuXUTu4uLNbY2lhYjHIGGUCAL2CHZl6vASbi4n9BN2NHWzRKolnesrbz0Oh67OoEkjGxaUZB8Ss1SbfZm8J9s/s1600/A1FDC2E4-A2A7-46F2-9ECC-B26BA9DA8B58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmwapVXneMCiIuzl9ryHlZi1tOPqTLhOJNLCNpYi-hAuGkusnuOlGicHuXUTu4uLNbY2lhYjHIGGUCAL2CHZl6vASbi4n9BN2NHWzRKolnesrbz0Oh67OoEkjGxaUZB8Ss1SbfZm8J9s/s640/A1FDC2E4-A2A7-46F2-9ECC-B26BA9DA8B58.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Sava crypt</td></tr>
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Bathed in a golden light from the copious use of gold-colored glass mosaics and ornate chandeliers, the room is accented with archways that highlight its meticulously painted colorful frescoes. It was a stunning contrast to the scene upstairs.<br />
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But St. Sava is not alone in awaiting completion of the house of worship in his honor. Near the Serbian National Assembly building, St. Mark's Church was "finished" in 1940. Except it wasn't. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xVUSUhXJfnfPICroz5tz8_1r2Zyaw9sjTrrEvUO1KtZ2iLRLRBQpsIVzpEZV5fwVTM9PWWEOLMg50-PXRXvoP_H1nId0rWVLCS1iZsi44JLiR8YtlKs56jmQFgYaxXASSMcjVXtwdDg/s1600/A339DC43-CECC-461F-BE1C-268F5D09B9DC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1461" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xVUSUhXJfnfPICroz5tz8_1r2Zyaw9sjTrrEvUO1KtZ2iLRLRBQpsIVzpEZV5fwVTM9PWWEOLMg50-PXRXvoP_H1nId0rWVLCS1iZsi44JLiR8YtlKs56jmQFgYaxXASSMcjVXtwdDg/s640/A339DC43-CECC-461F-BE1C-268F5D09B9DC.jpeg" width="584" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Mark's Church </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTZMWZrImLUyza-fkA-KaaH187BJqA5wefC38t5iHRb0cyMKkexX5GqrDy3bXqG-VNunCQkfKhncc-hChU8HYPhly8CZWh7q8kTwkudJL4kJXE_eegyYtzFB-Z_jCqvrPyRw3-Rey_-I/s1600/7646F2C5-CA8E-4BD7-A2FB-E0CF340329C4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="1600" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTZMWZrImLUyza-fkA-KaaH187BJqA5wefC38t5iHRb0cyMKkexX5GqrDy3bXqG-VNunCQkfKhncc-hChU8HYPhly8CZWh7q8kTwkudJL4kJXE_eegyYtzFB-Z_jCqvrPyRw3-Rey_-I/s640/7646F2C5-CA8E-4BD7-A2FB-E0CF340329C4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Mark's interior</td></tr>
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Though the interior's construction is considerably more advanced than St. Sava's, its blank walls attest to the church's incompleteness. Nearly eighty years after the exterior was finished, the inside of the church still lacks its planned fresco paintings, lighting, acoustics, heating and ventilation. Information on when or even whether these churches will be completed was not available.<br />
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<b>Pionirski Park Perks</b><br />
A verdant oasis of parkland adorns a large plot in Belgrade's city center between the National Assembly (Parliament) building and the Old and New Palaces housing city government and the Serbian President. Developed from what had been the royal garden, Pionirski Park is graced with numerous specimen trees that date back to the 18th century.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiGxcGnt2tiIplaGgTboHC9icgW-Ixz6k4vDQCtp_JAWVq4TF0DMRQSiP3-f0LXdQ_CPra81FgQ-zksU-ZfNX5bqqc58zLqH7f8Db656UUz3VOM5OwzViMuhxWmXIywilOoowry6NkaA/s1600/13DCA12A-E21C-468E-BFB8-DB0696060581.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiGxcGnt2tiIplaGgTboHC9icgW-Ixz6k4vDQCtp_JAWVq4TF0DMRQSiP3-f0LXdQ_CPra81FgQ-zksU-ZfNX5bqqc58zLqH7f8Db656UUz3VOM5OwzViMuhxWmXIywilOoowry6NkaA/s640/13DCA12A-E21C-468E-BFB8-DB0696060581.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pionirski Park</td></tr>
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Likely its position out the window of high government officials contributes to the exceptional maintenance of this jewel of a park. Benches are sparkling clean; grass is thick and lush and meticulously trimmed. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEazWGsI26oQXSD0ghD6ndHdBpzntZENyR3-rcDZ9pqzlwzD7Oci2GwbWS-v3bbzV7tJsod63oHcj1tGRS-de6xV0Km3-6XnLY4mLROQP96RFebtmDLI5qeq45qj_EAsw1kIsZZFotOI/s1600/D05618D5-07F4-42EB-BAC4-C9F184AFE234.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEazWGsI26oQXSD0ghD6ndHdBpzntZENyR3-rcDZ9pqzlwzD7Oci2GwbWS-v3bbzV7tJsod63oHcj1tGRS-de6xV0Km3-6XnLY4mLROQP96RFebtmDLI5qeq45qj_EAsw1kIsZZFotOI/s640/D05618D5-07F4-42EB-BAC4-C9F184AFE234.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wifi outpost in Pionirski Park</td></tr>
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Though its garden is rooted in the 1700s, the park offers cutting-edge amenities. Wifi outposts offer technology connectivity, while a self-cleaning toilet serves other needs of park goers. Most surprisingly, the toilet is free. After each use, it automatically disinfects and dries its bowl and floor. But wait, it even had a pleasant smell. And did I mention that there's no charge to use the toilet?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKve73AQT2lxAJrdyM4TLmI70uw_4Y0Q-Q33PmymahpNYSLhbx9fi979YydIp-9dx4NoNs7T3xoFIEbLp7UCllxcLoQUhfcVqlUikis5LRuNHA77MoGKl97UOAsTjdjGBwkBB6MorUoME/s1600/5F14E928-8131-41A7-9F91-B9C01012A2A3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKve73AQT2lxAJrdyM4TLmI70uw_4Y0Q-Q33PmymahpNYSLhbx9fi979YydIp-9dx4NoNs7T3xoFIEbLp7UCllxcLoQUhfcVqlUikis5LRuNHA77MoGKl97UOAsTjdjGBwkBB6MorUoME/s640/5F14E928-8131-41A7-9F91-B9C01012A2A3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
In addition to these modern surprises, the park has a curiosity of history as well. Displayed prominently just across from the parliament building is a little piece of a Greek mountaintop. To commemorate a World War I victory of the Serbian army over Bulgaria in a battle that took place in Greece, Serbian forces brought an observation post from the top of the mountain back home with them. Today the reconstructed observation post sits in Pionirski Park as a memorial to the forces who fought there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSS8cPV_hDFVsK5vzJk1gWHUDekBZymIXIARIC0liSi-Q4vrZ2E2FocWoY7RN0-EGYNoKDenkpVwcEz5-lpxFSusmniq5AYWG9RWKVAVuQw-bWk8uksf57l7WNoEYN3JmVzp6apyo3XyU/s1600/5FDCDF64-61C3-4071-98F1-8BC9E1DAF0B6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSS8cPV_hDFVsK5vzJk1gWHUDekBZymIXIARIC0liSi-Q4vrZ2E2FocWoY7RN0-EGYNoKDenkpVwcEz5-lpxFSusmniq5AYWG9RWKVAVuQw-bWk8uksf57l7WNoEYN3JmVzp6apyo3XyU/s640/5FDCDF64-61C3-4071-98F1-8BC9E1DAF0B6.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaques honor those who died at the lookout post.</td></tr>
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<b>Smoke Signals</b><br />
We are well aware that cigarette smoking is more practiced today in Europe than in the U.S. In particular, we've noticed considerably more people lighting up in Bulgaria and Serbia than other places on this trip. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRVx3Fptfn9tos3PKGs1YbgNItFOCo88olpyxMgiygFNYFyeh92lYS06OQB6RdO___A5z6GDZpKLKrZ7cKD1e7fO29FycJ9WIwhvjApyJ4sUl_lxtfHQ4plgWsaEN3XBRGUOzyOC-TBk/s1600/BF1F930A-ED60-46AE-BD51-6B5ED04FE3CF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRVx3Fptfn9tos3PKGs1YbgNItFOCo88olpyxMgiygFNYFyeh92lYS06OQB6RdO___A5z6GDZpKLKrZ7cKD1e7fO29FycJ9WIwhvjApyJ4sUl_lxtfHQ4plgWsaEN3XBRGUOzyOC-TBk/s640/BF1F930A-ED60-46AE-BD51-6B5ED04FE3CF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Until we arrived in Belgrade, however, all the smoking we have observed was outdoors. In every previous country, outdoor tables at restaurants or sidewalk cafes were uniformly equipped with ashtrays, but customers who wanted to avoid the smoke could reliably seek a smoke-free refuge inside. Not so in Belgrade. Every restaurant we visited permitted smoking inside as well as outside, designating about 20% of interior tables for nonsmoking.<br />
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<b>Quiet as a House</b><br />
After the hotel room we booked turned out to be exceedingly tiny, we booked an Airbnb for our next couple of nights in Belgrade. We were mildly concerned about its location in the middle of a very active pedestrian zone with cafes and shops and clubs nearby. But reviewers insisted the place was a calm oasis amidst all the frenzy, so we took a chance.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRM-Sd7S17HHQbuBickecdC6G-OLJI9Ev0lHmJ7JhDz5pH5nSC1H_lEN8xuCA6yHYF6-D0frMX5eiP03yPqkwmnqkLy-eTTpntkL8Hjx1Qxi9Jv60ezvZfDlFJoIKiwDhDwnIAPhPBg3A/s1600/F723EB0C-E501-4E41-B447-1CE3F52BFBAF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRM-Sd7S17HHQbuBickecdC6G-OLJI9Ev0lHmJ7JhDz5pH5nSC1H_lEN8xuCA6yHYF6-D0frMX5eiP03yPqkwmnqkLy-eTTpntkL8Hjx1Qxi9Jv60ezvZfDlFJoIKiwDhDwnIAPhPBg3A/s640/F723EB0C-E501-4E41-B447-1CE3F52BFBAF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
And this was probably the biggest Serbian surprise of all. Off a bustling pedestrian thoroughfare, we walked through a gate and into a courtyard. At the back of the courtyard was a small duplex. Even before we entered the apartment, the noise of the street had vanished, as if the house were located in the middle of a forest. We're not sure how that works, but we certainly are glad. <br />
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<b>Glad to Meat You</b><br />
Having read so much about Serbia's love affair with meat, which is king in Serbian national dishes, I wasn't sure how difficult it might be to eat a vegetarian diet, especially since we're still avoiding salads and other uncooked fresh produce. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ly_sZ6EMMome_saMUEVwznATFhbXuYHLbNhBl68ozrSO_GQNeRoRefZK_wxNcT9TlBf6K7Q-NtOlhutUjDawybRtpte4HQdODLd22hfzjLtO3ThzZzi0MAs5-v0xE0F-pDawxx6PKiI/s1600/86A1B743-3770-40AE-9846-7AB0332B6A15.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ly_sZ6EMMome_saMUEVwznATFhbXuYHLbNhBl68ozrSO_GQNeRoRefZK_wxNcT9TlBf6K7Q-NtOlhutUjDawybRtpte4HQdODLd22hfzjLtO3ThzZzi0MAs5-v0xE0F-pDawxx6PKiI/s640/86A1B743-3770-40AE-9846-7AB0332B6A15.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meant to take a photo of this delectable eggplant dish but forgot until it was mostly consumed.</td></tr>
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My concerns were completely unfounded. In restaurants such as Lorenzo & Kakalamba, Restoran Plato, and even Pizza Bar, we found flavorful vegetarian dishes with locally sourced ingredients in creative combinations.<br />
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<b>Cheap Shot</b><br />
As in some of the other countries we've visited (and will still visit) on this Balkans trip, prices in Serbia are quite reasonable by U.S. standards. Lending more emphasis to this, the current exchange rate puts the value of the Serbian dinar at about $.01 US. This is not as extreme as the exchange rate for the Hungarian forint ($.004), and it has the significant advantage of easy mathematical conversions with the dollar. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5kp3vf_9iZh8FLw6aF8XAZbdxHqkH_iBlGTg7M7tv_leUvg3GTtjeGxViRGpVrCpUFY8Nx0nGpRyoC9_r4n3Q6LetlpBHz3y1fBHG9GEEfsgkHEbcYqk6gtNWSDK0cKQ7JfkhT6E6ic/s1600/2189535A-F496-4094-A115-D4DA89FF8775.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5kp3vf_9iZh8FLw6aF8XAZbdxHqkH_iBlGTg7M7tv_leUvg3GTtjeGxViRGpVrCpUFY8Nx0nGpRyoC9_r4n3Q6LetlpBHz3y1fBHG9GEEfsgkHEbcYqk6gtNWSDK0cKQ7JfkhT6E6ic/s640/2189535A-F496-4094-A115-D4DA89FF8775.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had to be great service for a tip like this! (Full disclosure: equivalent to $1.60 US)</td></tr>
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We enjoyed great restaurant meals for $5 to $7 each, bought a two-liter bottle of Coke Zero for less than $1, and paid only $3 for museum admissions and for a twenty-minute taxi ride with Taxify, which we later discovered is now operating in Belgrade.<br />
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Unlike our first taxi driver, the vast majority of the Serbian people we have encountered have been kind, friendly and helpful. We have enjoyed our visit to Belgrade, but, as usual on this trip, just as we are getting to know our way around well, it's time to move on.<br />
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Tomorrow we'll fly to Sarajevo, where we'll pick up a rental car and begin a new set of adventures on our three and a half week road trip.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">MONDAY, 23 APRIL — WEDNESDAY, 25 APRIL, 2018</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Sofia, Bulgaria<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Belgrade, Serbia<br />
• <b>Miles flown:</b> 215<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 21.5<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 52° to 83°, sunny and hot<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Temple of St. Sava by the Numbers</span></b><br />
• <b>Years since planning began:</b> 125<br />
• <b>Years since construction began: </b>83<br />
• <b>Years until completion: </b>many<br />
• <b>Weight of central dome:</b> 4,000 tons<br />
• <b>Cranes used to raise dome:</b> 16<br />
• <b>Height dome was lifted:</b> 130 ft<br />
• <b>Time to raise dome to height: </b>20 days<br />
• <b>Weight of interior dome mosaic:</b> 40 tons<br />
• <b>Time to create dome mosaic:</b> 2 years (created in Russia)<br />
• <b>Time to install dome mosaic:</b> 10 months<br />
• <b>Mosaic work to be done:</b> 17,000 square meters<br />
• <b>Expected timeline for mosaic completion:</b> 8 years with a team of 90 artists<br />
• <b>But what about the frescoes:</b> another untold number of years<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Loved: </b> After our initial supremely negative experience with the taxi driver from hell, we were grateful that the many kind and friendly Serbian people we met thereafter completely turned around what could have been a sour impression of the country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Lacking:</b> Uber. Though there are those who fight to prohibit the ride-share option (primarily the taxi industry), we would choose Uber over a conventional taxi at every opportunity. Their drivers are more predictable and accountable. The fare is set before you accept the ride, so there's no motivation for the driver to meander aimlessly to bump up the meter. Drivers know their passengers will rate their performance, so they're not likely to engage in reckless driving. And on and on. We have had more negative taxi experiences than we can count and none with Uber.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Learned:</b> Just because a church is praised as a national symbol and the pillar of its religious faith and a highlight on the tourist rounds doesn't mean it's a functional place of worship.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Belgrade</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3c3Gzu7OelNKzjS5awbf9m8zcCobFzdj5w_3g00kbgPo2GYAFApYS0tnYG_i6jWeCj7bSJdVY475GXQ1SaI7vFcMkrkOs2j_pwCLAOGg7wPa-Jszrzqgzqx7dUjm2WjJpVfdq-gaApUc/s1600/345806D9-0C56-4960-B554-2B18E834A0E2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3c3Gzu7OelNKzjS5awbf9m8zcCobFzdj5w_3g00kbgPo2GYAFApYS0tnYG_i6jWeCj7bSJdVY475GXQ1SaI7vFcMkrkOs2j_pwCLAOGg7wPa-Jszrzqgzqx7dUjm2WjJpVfdq-gaApUc/s640/345806D9-0C56-4960-B554-2B18E834A0E2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "good taxi" sent by our Airbnb host to pick us up from the hotel after hearing about our bad experience.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXs6gSdkvsfs1jK17Iff09Q_9AAqzNJ-b69rn6UBY58DX9uzBftPkvtpUw-hgdCoY5ljyhptS-ySAXVOffQCiBGo4ZyQkq2Lu0lOKvpBdho2yHL_h32TVfhYJmVzWpx1PNvTG0QhdXDbA/s1600/50DBBD3B-AB80-4367-93D8-B5A2EEF2D340.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXs6gSdkvsfs1jK17Iff09Q_9AAqzNJ-b69rn6UBY58DX9uzBftPkvtpUw-hgdCoY5ljyhptS-ySAXVOffQCiBGo4ZyQkq2Lu0lOKvpBdho2yHL_h32TVfhYJmVzWpx1PNvTG0QhdXDbA/s640/50DBBD3B-AB80-4367-93D8-B5A2EEF2D340.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prince Michael Street, part of an extensive pedestrian-only section of central Belgrade. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOoBLwrGyCchPAXuYRIl8u0JqGN38N66NTK0N1GQkgno27AwAhP9rJf2d1k_d4jAAhqs_WaperL734fGF94zVkp_4nJE4lf9-e0WG2YE3s41xsrvK8cvlgs1cAttu9U_RqVVDYhrqQh8/s1600/7136E761-8C51-40EE-9E1A-AF11E388F3B1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOoBLwrGyCchPAXuYRIl8u0JqGN38N66NTK0N1GQkgno27AwAhP9rJf2d1k_d4jAAhqs_WaperL734fGF94zVkp_4nJE4lf9-e0WG2YE3s41xsrvK8cvlgs1cAttu9U_RqVVDYhrqQh8/s640/7136E761-8C51-40EE-9E1A-AF11E388F3B1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many buses and trams offer public transportation options in Belgrade.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7sO0RlzPmXrtKFSA0mRd0QvFHEg8ogFZLxzgItKjdOfk5QBqHVPi6Cuwy4TK_RhsZhnk9gFiwgaMDI8Cf1zonOVhY5Ua-fVM4GOGDl8nniS5BqMASyEr8Ga4_5ggvyPwSofmBjVnmp0/s1600/22EE104E-696F-4FCE-A4BB-B3D4020DA017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm7sO0RlzPmXrtKFSA0mRd0QvFHEg8ogFZLxzgItKjdOfk5QBqHVPi6Cuwy4TK_RhsZhnk9gFiwgaMDI8Cf1zonOVhY5Ua-fVM4GOGDl8nniS5BqMASyEr8Ga4_5ggvyPwSofmBjVnmp0/s640/22EE104E-696F-4FCE-A4BB-B3D4020DA017.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poignant graffiti on a fenced in abandoned building</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpnpfw22LWM7RTV0ZiI2BB-CEs7tWmSZ7UHIXR68jXSfhauS8ZqJHowcDXqNC2rWZq46aUmElfU67UeYGKUk2_vAbe5VHIAIqZhkLTYeqBLOdd8tyj1a3YbIq-h3cSQ3xVYwWtcOep7w/s1600/814D0664-D459-4355-AAA0-6666FFF1B22E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpnpfw22LWM7RTV0ZiI2BB-CEs7tWmSZ7UHIXR68jXSfhauS8ZqJHowcDXqNC2rWZq46aUmElfU67UeYGKUk2_vAbe5VHIAIqZhkLTYeqBLOdd8tyj1a3YbIq-h3cSQ3xVYwWtcOep7w/s640/814D0664-D459-4355-AAA0-6666FFF1B22E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belgrade's New Cemetery is home to thousands of amazing sculptures and grave markers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEZPVd1jmNgvm0UP1sxjkhGNt_1kZlCJbFaqOVj1-0Ob-O0zRNkzfycR3ETixojtD_YPh2Q9fNm6Z5p1-Fgf5lpZ-hkf_ZL29Ea_F7ZLSYzIdleBdudjq2ELtvouz_krCGGqs-BOcN3Y/s1600/BC9D95F1-FCA7-48C6-80C2-6D105BCB71EA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1591" data-original-width="1600" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEZPVd1jmNgvm0UP1sxjkhGNt_1kZlCJbFaqOVj1-0Ob-O0zRNkzfycR3ETixojtD_YPh2Q9fNm6Z5p1-Fgf5lpZ-hkf_ZL29Ea_F7ZLSYzIdleBdudjq2ELtvouz_krCGGqs-BOcN3Y/s640/BC9D95F1-FCA7-48C6-80C2-6D105BCB71EA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a fresco in the small St. Sava Church next to the temple, Jesus and St. Sava (R) admire the completed temple. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1v0AN_jWpUjDjaojfNyeDCyUe9LILEJeuYwHl8buJpfLMOHbBjuPWWxKDBr2t1HMCOe3J3_bSwO5PsIyLf5xjR6GW0ZgAT5SpeDSRe89u-TaYjQCMUsbJV6GH2Km8Bn8EIm0swRVNtB4/s1600/C6D7F166-5BC7-4537-93DA-AD0A5DFDC840.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1v0AN_jWpUjDjaojfNyeDCyUe9LILEJeuYwHl8buJpfLMOHbBjuPWWxKDBr2t1HMCOe3J3_bSwO5PsIyLf5xjR6GW0ZgAT5SpeDSRe89u-TaYjQCMUsbJV6GH2Km8Bn8EIm0swRVNtB4/s640/C6D7F166-5BC7-4537-93DA-AD0A5DFDC840.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly decorations in the St. Sava Church are complete.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIMGMUdsMT3BvrN-B-dmKlAVlliE_BMtkjm6xqSzdC5kGuXcX0Z0LwPNLH15kCxRTJJksA7meVwVZ4dPTXiCfhROz1z8Psh1TM41ONTfdb8mtJiN5crb1QY0ASiKEDvAJOAZ21sjAe_E/s1600/C872C89B-399A-4205-ACB6-2D3A63B1DBE2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIMGMUdsMT3BvrN-B-dmKlAVlliE_BMtkjm6xqSzdC5kGuXcX0Z0LwPNLH15kCxRTJJksA7meVwVZ4dPTXiCfhROz1z8Psh1TM41ONTfdb8mtJiN5crb1QY0ASiKEDvAJOAZ21sjAe_E/s640/C872C89B-399A-4205-ACB6-2D3A63B1DBE2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orb holding the remains of Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla at the Belgrade museum devoted to his life and work.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBelgrade, Serbia44.786568 20.44892159999994944.426118 19.803474599999948 45.147018 21.09436859999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-88696738368478622822018-04-22T05:43:00.000-04:002018-04-23T05:53:30.355-04:00So Much to Like in Sofia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Vf9cPeDPkLrydSaGJS-tZr6E3hCROqTnIdldqBCUKUeuU3NtJvVXBG-Ks2w8PrK3zL_-khk7o1Xh5wq1hR-s0S_yWUDTi_W8tEKe1yIDcYRXP3sVBH9v_WjNKAoHZfUGP-hnbumiWs8/s1600/7B868311-5B75-4147-A1A0-383F4CA88AFF.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Vf9cPeDPkLrydSaGJS-tZr6E3hCROqTnIdldqBCUKUeuU3NtJvVXBG-Ks2w8PrK3zL_-khk7o1Xh5wq1hR-s0S_yWUDTi_W8tEKe1yIDcYRXP3sVBH9v_WjNKAoHZfUGP-hnbumiWs8/s640/7B868311-5B75-4147-A1A0-383F4CA88AFF.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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CHAPTER 14: IN WHICH OUR EYES ARE OPENED<br />
<br />
<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 26-28: Odessa, Ukraine to Sofia, Bulgaria.</strong> With different rules and practices from one country, or even one airport, to the next, it's difficult to know what to expect, especially in the security screening process. In excruciatingly thorough Amsterdam, I was called out for not removing my curling iron from my bag, among many other items. At the beginning of the line in Odessa, we were told we didn't even need to remove liquids, so it looked as if this would be an easy one. Then one of the agents ferreted into my day bag in search of a dangerous weapon, and that was when I lost my cuticle nippers, an item not even noticed on our previous five screenings on this trip. <br />
<br />
When we boarded a Bulgaria Air Embrarer 190 for Sofia, we were pleasantly surprised at the plane's layout. Our coach class seats were wide and offered significantly more leg room than is typical on so many of today's aircraft. The flight crew provided outstanding service, and when we landed in Sofia, we realized the positive flight experience was a harbinger of things to come.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hotel window near the city center</td></tr>
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Sofia (pronounced <i>SOH-fee-ə</i>, with emphasis on the first syllable, not the second) is Bulgaria's capital and largest city, with a population of 1.3 million. Sitting in a bowl surrounded on three sides by mountains, Sofia and its predecessor cities date back 7,000 years. The first Bulgarian Empire was established in the year 681, and Sofia became its capital some 300 years later. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXv-REQlVUba45LarnvpXMOkoRBgp-4TnUSDMCyiBu45nZ78EmhGJNRnlYoW1oHc2Zijtt4R-SL7WymUYuLfR5HLq_3o6R6YRuuY23cctIIyO-CnVfbX94BQOinFXJDlluxcaNYEwUwY/s1600/76F475AE-9442-4EC6-8DC8-971EBB7DE911.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLXv-REQlVUba45LarnvpXMOkoRBgp-4TnUSDMCyiBu45nZ78EmhGJNRnlYoW1oHc2Zijtt4R-SL7WymUYuLfR5HLq_3o6R6YRuuY23cctIIyO-CnVfbX94BQOinFXJDlluxcaNYEwUwY/s640/76F475AE-9442-4EC6-8DC8-971EBB7DE911.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. George Rotunda</td></tr>
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Sofia's oldest building is the St. George Rotunda, an early Christian church dating back to the 4th century. Almost hidden by the Sheraton hotel and several government ministry buildings, the ancient rotunda was built by the Romans and sits amid the ruins of the ancient town of Serdica.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DMk9l9PnmKFR8SzTObP3qxGDV_u1Yhi3xhI1IM55dNpGrNfOHhbIzdwqW3TKaCSzHAWxEzS88Tg2dQsZ_Pis0RMlD7CZLj2REjE0xtEU2e2Y-uNAk5D3uN6kMsqNJH0IiPh3Vwy_Hwo/s1600/061FA3CF-BAA2-41F6-901E-C07EA35FE676.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9DMk9l9PnmKFR8SzTObP3qxGDV_u1Yhi3xhI1IM55dNpGrNfOHhbIzdwqW3TKaCSzHAWxEzS88Tg2dQsZ_Pis0RMlD7CZLj2REjE0xtEU2e2Y-uNAk5D3uN6kMsqNJH0IiPh3Vwy_Hwo/s640/061FA3CF-BAA2-41F6-901E-C07EA35FE676.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saint Sofia Church (Sveta Sofia)</td></tr>
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Only slightly newer is the Saint Sofia Church, originally built in the fourth century and rebuilt several times after invasion and destruction by Goths and Huns. The current church was built between 527 and 565 with several subsequent modifications and additions. In the 14th century, the church gave its name to the city.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM0Ned25EWsso5ht_bK0oleODbZlsy0nkK5gjB7QkNxiJV97DNS11VS_3gLiVSamrGjmJ2Lg9LogqS5rSlbdu77OSNulb24wndbH9wA9Zm-i9kh1KE14L4foXFF-27n1za4pRt1zGhzs/s1600/ED0459E7-7D82-4B8C-8ED2-317986FDFD6F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM0Ned25EWsso5ht_bK0oleODbZlsy0nkK5gjB7QkNxiJV97DNS11VS_3gLiVSamrGjmJ2Lg9LogqS5rSlbdu77OSNulb24wndbH9wA9Zm-i9kh1KE14L4foXFF-27n1za4pRt1zGhzs/s640/ED0459E7-7D82-4B8C-8ED2-317986FDFD6F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alexander Nevsky Cathedral</td></tr>
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Despite its long and illustrious history, the Saint Sofia Church is overshadowed (both literally and figuratively) by the massive Alexander Nevsky Cathedral across the street. Designed in the Neo-Byzantine style, the cathedral is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world with a capacity of 10,000 people. Named for a medieval Ruthenian prince who was canonized in the Orthodox church, the 34,000 sq. ft. structure is sited on a large plaza in the city center.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1XIDwt7HM63ycdNgpb1dUAXba0TWsAf4MA3MInI-n1lQ_elYqdWp7ldKniHyMyI-ZuPXiH51kvMlEzEcee4sYDJYTF_NvK0VfgJ-mJa2JqoEsoU9olBvmXCn9Zpi8hgIrXWrXMi8-l0/s1600/8D25DDDB-401A-49D8-B336-0D0B90E8AAA2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1XIDwt7HM63ycdNgpb1dUAXba0TWsAf4MA3MInI-n1lQ_elYqdWp7ldKniHyMyI-ZuPXiH51kvMlEzEcee4sYDJYTF_NvK0VfgJ-mJa2JqoEsoU9olBvmXCn9Zpi8hgIrXWrXMi8-l0/s640/8D25DDDB-401A-49D8-B336-0D0B90E8AAA2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old medals and currency for sale</td></tr>
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When we walked to the cathedral on Saturday afternoon, a nearby park had been transformed into an antiques and collectibles market. Several dozen kiosks displayed items from cameras to military medals to obsolete coins and banknotes. Old jewelry and silverware, trading pins, street signs, and even Russian nesting dolls were on offer in this eclectic outdoor bazaar. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-YYwHJgbOXKVoNEq4jezQy6AJDbNhtKDov-Ja2xR_atals8jAtbrKj-PypCZBuInEMfG2tVb_wLzL5qSZbiSDE0LCmR0Iu9Dm7PuaRPLJ__axdF2zr7CXDXDDDBsguXVESIFlB1fX_o/s1600/705884E8-8D36-4CE4-AF4D-A0BE1489AD3A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs-YYwHJgbOXKVoNEq4jezQy6AJDbNhtKDov-Ja2xR_atals8jAtbrKj-PypCZBuInEMfG2tVb_wLzL5qSZbiSDE0LCmR0Iu9Dm7PuaRPLJ__axdF2zr7CXDXDDDBsguXVESIFlB1fX_o/s640/705884E8-8D36-4CE4-AF4D-A0BE1489AD3A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saint Nedelya Church</td></tr>
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Since 85% of the country's population follows the Bulgarian Orthodox religion, all the churches we visited—which are among Sofia's most famous and revered landmarks—are Orthodox institutions. The St. Nedelya Church is another medieval cathedral. The original structure was built around the 10th century but was demolished in the mid 1800s and replaced by the current church.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCN29AfAOXEJTRZ0AhoFluyi6K6VMBfgHQhahtrLsW1UX_FgMkSzSHg5DVhx6g98G3spj8wpSD2FKZqoUxgpl7b-Gneay-khRvJGqxdgyves1E6fmnOerMi5hcayyR_BYhD_SlZCPjDrU/s1600/65204650-E780-44B3-AA25-E90BB8F66E5B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCN29AfAOXEJTRZ0AhoFluyi6K6VMBfgHQhahtrLsW1UX_FgMkSzSHg5DVhx6g98G3spj8wpSD2FKZqoUxgpl7b-Gneay-khRvJGqxdgyves1E6fmnOerMi5hcayyR_BYhD_SlZCPjDrU/s640/65204650-E780-44B3-AA25-E90BB8F66E5B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iconostasis of St. Nedelya Church </td></tr>
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Unlike most Orthodox churches, which prohibit photography inside, St. Nedelya permitted it, offering a view of the iconostasis, or templon, an ornately decorated wall at the front of the nave, where worshippers stand during services (there are no pews). The templon is covered with icons of saints and always adorned with gold leaf.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56F-sCXzHbW6TdQQr2J91KQXr-6GRGLOVezHwWRyTqkRgFowQLVE_ieKw2i4xyhD7mBobF_lLBQw8JR_gwn4R9U8cGu8XVPb2uU74PlfK2iuqhA4ZBpa4PqR6wA0amCx-WzWOFrAU0g0/s1600/95E2E5BF-7E13-44CA-B903-533D480E590E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1362" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56F-sCXzHbW6TdQQr2J91KQXr-6GRGLOVezHwWRyTqkRgFowQLVE_ieKw2i4xyhD7mBobF_lLBQw8JR_gwn4R9U8cGu8XVPb2uU74PlfK2iuqhA4ZBpa4PqR6wA0amCx-WzWOFrAU0g0/s640/95E2E5BF-7E13-44CA-B903-533D480E590E.jpeg" width="544" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frescoes in St. Nedelya Church</td></tr>
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Walls and ceilings in Orthodox churches are almost always completely covered with paintings that depict saints and their lives as well as other Biblical stories.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mPb43mITQaU4zPi341bvnu-V5yQHQkpIkHsYabumW9HPHr1ZQqp6l5kMMxAdOz6wSqDYsjHfwxImjCrvHi2c9aqhdv2hM3-d88NBF3bRGl87TgwSRja0pmeIJPfXJBYtphbKMB60pSA/s1600/798E279E-844E-4CFA-BF52-8D9430C9786D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mPb43mITQaU4zPi341bvnu-V5yQHQkpIkHsYabumW9HPHr1ZQqp6l5kMMxAdOz6wSqDYsjHfwxImjCrvHi2c9aqhdv2hM3-d88NBF3bRGl87TgwSRja0pmeIJPfXJBYtphbKMB60pSA/s640/798E279E-844E-4CFA-BF52-8D9430C9786D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to the Soviet Army</td></tr>
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Of course, we could not leave a former Eastern Bloc nation without seeing what the Russian overlords always leave behind—a gargantuan monument to the Soviet Red Army for "liberating" the country from Germany in 1944. Of course, in the process the Soviets always sank their Communist claws into each country they "saved." Sofia's memorial, like others we've seen, is set on an enormous plaza. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuEci05TtU6AwZfhzNpq5ZAXMQHZQ7YdbbMnNmL6W7U-otwHARKYs6QZIgDhDn2hpNHSEZylSaibmPquygK10r3GCYeOUl78WHPX07fPpRcnbdbq8IeYFjr3tdtLEZt2s7qDsJIrIXjo/s1600/81A520FA-AADE-4BB4-A29B-363C408C6EC5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuEci05TtU6AwZfhzNpq5ZAXMQHZQ7YdbbMnNmL6W7U-otwHARKYs6QZIgDhDn2hpNHSEZylSaibmPquygK10r3GCYeOUl78WHPX07fPpRcnbdbq8IeYFjr3tdtLEZt2s7qDsJIrIXjo/s640/81A520FA-AADE-4BB4-A29B-363C408C6EC5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to the Soviet Army</td></tr>
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No longer forced to revere the spot, locals have made good use of it as a skateboard park and, at times, a focus for political statements. Below a massive Russian soldier with a raised rifle on the tall central obelisk, the sides of the monument nearer ground level are adorned with relief sculptures of charging army forces. In 2011, the military on one sculpture were painted to look like icons of American pop culture from Superman to the Joker.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFvej_CR4K7fqFKExxs_GptmiyRIs5uGis882dIW0lMkekzoqfMrHD-KUfjImECHUUGC620bwCS8kejtN4keA0mXDfuqYgTojcpM-riDxts4YQLIbNaSgDJss3v-3_nQbNDtcgjqMN04/s1600/pQWvPgt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFvej_CR4K7fqFKExxs_GptmiyRIs5uGis882dIW0lMkekzoqfMrHD-KUfjImECHUUGC620bwCS8kejtN4keA0mXDfuqYgTojcpM-riDxts4YQLIbNaSgDJss3v-3_nQbNDtcgjqMN04/s640/pQWvPgt.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original 2011 painting (photo from Reddit.com)</td></tr>
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Though perhaps more prank than political statement, this original decoration inspired followers. The Bulgarian government promptly cleans the sculpture, and the Russian government apparently grows more annoyed with each instance, but the trend continues. The figures were covered in pink to commemorate the anniversary of Prague Spring and in the colors of the Ukrainian flag to protest the Russian annexation of Crimea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8lFS8DvzBglLgP6wd6bRk4b0_ub0zE8_9s7wLdeRPcTDtk17PAFzLihIu9j-Zhzc98IfsziCrlM1-u-XdnUTX08wYWbqFUCDQvvjKxIQVJINKt4TuKt6pqGSzc7s8WUaKJ8iMIn1ODI/s1600/8A32F5FC-0F65-4E42-BAAD-C46F09E6C623.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8lFS8DvzBglLgP6wd6bRk4b0_ub0zE8_9s7wLdeRPcTDtk17PAFzLihIu9j-Zhzc98IfsziCrlM1-u-XdnUTX08wYWbqFUCDQvvjKxIQVJINKt4TuKt6pqGSzc7s8WUaKJ8iMIn1ODI/s640/8A32F5FC-0F65-4E42-BAAD-C46F09E6C623.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vitosha Street</td></tr>
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As should be evident from the photos here, Sofia is a city that values its trees, and green spaces abound, many with meticulously maintained flower gardens. Even Vitosha Boulevard, the city's main commercial thoroughfare (pedestrian only!) is lined with trees and flower boxes as well as restaurants and shops. Our visit to the city was on a weekend (NOT Easter, for the first time in a month!), and the outdoors were teeming with thousands of locals enjoying the beautiful spring weather.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_C8QI62m7I4dDyCZT2i__IjGAEpD-pOF_GvXEbQkODfnH8ZseV5gy-gcrfsr_vY8CSqmHwr4JvoexDRnH4bKJLOUNVjptxqd69jdEgqGTC_9qCvy_lk61_PVXWmySbDchDDi7Z8mBTY/s1600/E24104CE-88CA-4321-9826-16F65CAE3BFD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_C8QI62m7I4dDyCZT2i__IjGAEpD-pOF_GvXEbQkODfnH8ZseV5gy-gcrfsr_vY8CSqmHwr4JvoexDRnH4bKJLOUNVjptxqd69jdEgqGTC_9qCvy_lk61_PVXWmySbDchDDi7Z8mBTY/s640/E24104CE-88CA-4321-9826-16F65CAE3BFD.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Palace of Culture</td></tr>
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On Sunday we hired a driver to take us to Rila Monastery, Bulgaria's first and largest monastery. Situated at 3,763 feet elevation, the monastery adorns a river valley in the Rila Mountains. Founded in the 10th century, the monastery has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, most recently in the 1800s. During periods when Bulgaria was under the rule of outside forces, like the 500-year Ottoman occupation, Rila Monastery served as a lighthouse to Bulgarian people, a symbol of their faith and their history. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdrY8han2ahPau6Kvo9whlnZ48DZCVa-Vi8fSBacE40gdV2EBWtwBje-vHAS2HRcInKWPHMhXlqpTPTbLdkIl6taQUksgD3jCSPjX4Ia0oFfL1E2JaHYWqFe3qYRRAW7dSpnyTgqsqXQ/s1600/4ED7D9B9-7E06-43A0-8226-9346B74D4879.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1600" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdrY8han2ahPau6Kvo9whlnZ48DZCVa-Vi8fSBacE40gdV2EBWtwBje-vHAS2HRcInKWPHMhXlqpTPTbLdkIl6taQUksgD3jCSPjX4Ia0oFfL1E2JaHYWqFe3qYRRAW7dSpnyTgqsqXQ/s640/4ED7D9B9-7E06-43A0-8226-9346B74D4879.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nativity of the Virgin Church at Rila Monastery</td></tr>
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Today the monastery is housed within fortress-like walls. In its central courtyard sits the Nativity of the Virgin Church, with a colorful exterior influenced by Ottoman architecture. Below the porticos, the exterior, like the interior, is covered with brightly colored frescoes by master Bulgarian painters, portraying scenes from heaven and hell.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Residential buildings overlook the courtyard.</td></tr>
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Along the outer walls of the monastery are more than 300 chambers for resident monks and for pilgrims and other visitors who go for a small glimpse into the monastic life. Rila Monastery has become a national symbol of Bulgaria and is even depicted on its currency. Despite its remote location—at the end of a narrow, winding mountain road two hours south of Sofia—the monastery attracts upward of a million visitors each year, including one from Pope John Paul II in 2002.<br />
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Though our time in Bulgaria was limited and we did not see much of the country, we saw enough to make us want to return. When we commented to our driver on Sunday how impressed we were with the city's cleanliness and attractiveness, he explained that much has changed in Bulgaria in the last ten years, dating back to its admission to the European Union in 2007. Roads have been vastly improved, he stated, and an explosion of construction has given the city a modern look. <br />
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Tomorrow we'll take our leave of Bulgaria, for now, and fly to Belgrade for a few days in the Serbian capital city.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">FRIDAY, 20 APRIL — SUNDAY, 22 APRIL, 2018</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3-Day Stats</span></b><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Odessa, Ukraine<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Sofia, Bulgaria<br />
• <b>Miles flown:</b> 440<br />
• <b>Miles driven (as passenger):</b> 175<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 20.19<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 45° to 78°, sunny<br />
• <b>Visitors at Rila Monastery:</b> 9,025<br />
• <b>Wedding parties in Sofia:</b> 21<br />
• <b>Restaurants on Vitosha Boulevard: </b>46<br />
• <b>Tulips in Sofia parks:</b> 237,901<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Loved: </b> Sofia has been on our 'want to go' list for at least seven or eight years. It was great to finally get here and to find it to be so much better than we ever expected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Lacking: </b> Our original plans called for visiting several other Bulgarian cities, including the Black Sea coast, but plans to meet family in Italy were shifted from early June to late May and we decided to limit our visit to Sofia. More time to see other parts of the country would be great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Learned: </b> Although we knew that joining the European Union had a positive political influence on its eastern members, we had no idea that the economic impact was so significant. At least it seems to have been in Bulgaria.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Today</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgOCsi2hTedMZz3is2-0GkndbGKJQMA_ak-sY32RA7hmdJPgBBR4aNnZ6qYFm5oZTa8ImZH2mj_AX6dvv36kMSAFdNSz01eYznkrQdupF5EVgtCjef0_5qErOwK_5G5_X0TuNrc2XQ_s/s1600/A7ABC311-9C45-4DE1-87CD-B4FCF607BB79.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgOCsi2hTedMZz3is2-0GkndbGKJQMA_ak-sY32RA7hmdJPgBBR4aNnZ6qYFm5oZTa8ImZH2mj_AX6dvv36kMSAFdNSz01eYznkrQdupF5EVgtCjef0_5qErOwK_5G5_X0TuNrc2XQ_s/s640/A7ABC311-9C45-4DE1-87CD-B4FCF607BB79.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wedding inside St. George Rotunda, one of many we encountered on a spring weekend in Sofia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGXH4a6ELnxRdQcjxTXsDh1Fs8MdKnRpOAVw9ZQXvP_jHJ9rZg15kmoFMghWezNrCKWTL17NT71fC0-2AQAQ3zo8awtx4NYL1cC-U70hQ0BSE9gaScY2OcK_0zdtNZXvv1LBl3cSHLVU/s1600/6B5E32AB-10AD-45CD-83AD-4BDBE653A4DF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1600" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGXH4a6ELnxRdQcjxTXsDh1Fs8MdKnRpOAVw9ZQXvP_jHJ9rZg15kmoFMghWezNrCKWTL17NT71fC0-2AQAQ3zo8awtx4NYL1cC-U70hQ0BSE9gaScY2OcK_0zdtNZXvv1LBl3cSHLVU/s640/6B5E32AB-10AD-45CD-83AD-4BDBE653A4DF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another wedding party, this one at Saint Sofia Church </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RLIL11f7lRCLK54ghngvKyRw65wpPoBymWdr-4dDrYXUBN3tWB5kMn9Jhw-23rYuBzM8B0enFRf-Z9Jj5irvg8e2aXKSsEyF9Oo1kU7cr-r-3Z8n6psJbysCH3CL-AsEOSmQsryjqUk/s1600/F06C3BCD-A3B7-457F-92E8-D49911B8C3FA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1600" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RLIL11f7lRCLK54ghngvKyRw65wpPoBymWdr-4dDrYXUBN3tWB5kMn9Jhw-23rYuBzM8B0enFRf-Z9Jj5irvg8e2aXKSsEyF9Oo1kU7cr-r-3Z8n6psJbysCH3CL-AsEOSmQsryjqUk/s640/F06C3BCD-A3B7-457F-92E8-D49911B8C3FA.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main entrance of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1SBy7RMBLEpYEd7SKZgvUWkRNRxfUDxpCYiBL1hb2Q4CxhS5bnyj2NkYoRpgci9wPt8hdEzc1Y-y3zL8c3Gh0boVXOTnb8ltALPRMbHFiBH-NhGttvrXXIrQvgRFGqfKgJkRNoaDFZo/s1600/A618C7F8-368B-47DC-83F0-F9E3285E25EE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1SBy7RMBLEpYEd7SKZgvUWkRNRxfUDxpCYiBL1hb2Q4CxhS5bnyj2NkYoRpgci9wPt8hdEzc1Y-y3zL8c3Gh0boVXOTnb8ltALPRMbHFiBH-NhGttvrXXIrQvgRFGqfKgJkRNoaDFZo/s640/A618C7F8-368B-47DC-83F0-F9E3285E25EE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guarding Saint Sofia, this majestic lion endures thousands of photo ops daily with people climbing on his back.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2cdBa_RLxwpw7J7HrcT1VPKJbB2wlObGcmOWCBRO-D3WB9SkTI-Et6Y43uHO5DuYcjT8Zmx_-vgZwV5eJW8Cpg8IictRmt_EZeOvAk9o_ctQqz1EqhVga_aqyvXcjXCXNYKkerwq6MA/s1600/57E1BE9B-8BA9-4642-84C1-40D8BF3EC02B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2cdBa_RLxwpw7J7HrcT1VPKJbB2wlObGcmOWCBRO-D3WB9SkTI-Et6Y43uHO5DuYcjT8Zmx_-vgZwV5eJW8Cpg8IictRmt_EZeOvAk9o_ctQqz1EqhVga_aqyvXcjXCXNYKkerwq6MA/s640/57E1BE9B-8BA9-4642-84C1-40D8BF3EC02B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sveta Sofia statue erected in 2000 to replace an oversized Lenin statue removed ten years before. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeLsm9LIqh8_NmLm2avs4vpE7m8hC4YqbuzGBo6qmVMa4oZ-a6KJBB-1A1ZCZVjpnlJPKvPZcKkWNAvJhkmjUoDqhkrg4FrMwa-ct2Ujv_C_NA16guaLy5CAo4DuREt1FdyRb36Q0usM/s1600/9404C642-6ED9-48CC-B1EB-DB847FF32903.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeLsm9LIqh8_NmLm2avs4vpE7m8hC4YqbuzGBo6qmVMa4oZ-a6KJBB-1A1ZCZVjpnlJPKvPZcKkWNAvJhkmjUoDqhkrg4FrMwa-ct2Ujv_C_NA16guaLy5CAo4DuREt1FdyRb36Q0usM/s640/9404C642-6ED9-48CC-B1EB-DB847FF32903.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The absurd bathroom gender debate settled: All together with floor to ceiling stall doors.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHCX5qg-Fmr3gmwdlrTVGdknDE2oi6YVffIblNSm4-uhJSUqrHLG3wQH46KwU45hST1l93jblPdpxad1Oa57RK5We7NQEYCdTtec53NihmqIZeJK1b4K8o5DW_teqmCaWhtp6lxCB2Qg/s1600/E0F8D2B7-37B6-4475-9D86-08BEFE6A956D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHCX5qg-Fmr3gmwdlrTVGdknDE2oi6YVffIblNSm4-uhJSUqrHLG3wQH46KwU45hST1l93jblPdpxad1Oa57RK5We7NQEYCdTtec53NihmqIZeJK1b4K8o5DW_teqmCaWhtp6lxCB2Qg/s640/E0F8D2B7-37B6-4475-9D86-08BEFE6A956D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty display on a Sofia street</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIibajtj2oveWwbOfpgNXZC_EA-rmLTsFq1hmgn4LqyEB1_jefREtmZk3s6W55ykYYzI_48RrjS9Pz2LRXgLEHm2Z1CONIyue9GFucPZsim4ZGoUhYsU7QrZDgtDWyyluRFyVKkBE6ItA/s1600/F2B2D0FE-0C34-4511-B0CF-7E4D4C42F0CD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIibajtj2oveWwbOfpgNXZC_EA-rmLTsFq1hmgn4LqyEB1_jefREtmZk3s6W55ykYYzI_48RrjS9Pz2LRXgLEHm2Z1CONIyue9GFucPZsim4ZGoUhYsU7QrZDgtDWyyluRFyVKkBE6ItA/s640/F2B2D0FE-0C34-4511-B0CF-7E4D4C42F0CD.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many McDonald's locations in Sofia, very popular with locals</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZWvpEpQly9HKuJWRNuSrqwPTNlLPvD1JoKFwp-ZZMSESkoWGgW9p0MiDY9M1_f2tb4E6m-FLm92t-4ZQkkwhgiGHSdDaeHrSPjCCsMW8whVusbWZ4OKeO32_1x6LOWhhHIeYJYML7Zg/s1600/9A176144-A217-4ECB-B8E6-026FBCF28DED.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ZWvpEpQly9HKuJWRNuSrqwPTNlLPvD1JoKFwp-ZZMSESkoWGgW9p0MiDY9M1_f2tb4E6m-FLm92t-4ZQkkwhgiGHSdDaeHrSPjCCsMW8whVusbWZ4OKeO32_1x6LOWhhHIeYJYML7Zg/s640/9A176144-A217-4ECB-B8E6-026FBCF28DED.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the distance, signs for McDonald's, Subway and Coca-Cola. We see them almost everywhere in Europe. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PL-OSzAtZjA_3RQZ40wGGTZ_ubWKd7gTuBZabiOdf3-7WMTCakGyiziWQGqcJQMUtEzLTElkKFT6YrrgTTBhHsmWL2UnccmgfNPZ1T5EwkRVbnatcQr7EXFg8gVYy7hDbUCepT5bMf8/s1600/1D5FDB2B-A14B-4E1B-8B41-DB21FBFAE1ED.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8PL-OSzAtZjA_3RQZ40wGGTZ_ubWKd7gTuBZabiOdf3-7WMTCakGyiziWQGqcJQMUtEzLTElkKFT6YrrgTTBhHsmWL2UnccmgfNPZ1T5EwkRVbnatcQr7EXFg8gVYy7hDbUCepT5bMf8/s640/1D5FDB2B-A14B-4E1B-8B41-DB21FBFAE1ED.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of Rila church</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back side of the church at Rila Monastery</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comSofia, Bulgaria42.6977082 23.32186750000005342.3239182 22.676420500000052 43.0714982 23.967314500000054tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-18232994596041011252018-04-19T15:45:00.001-04:002018-04-20T05:24:08.809-04:00Odessa? Oh-yes-sa!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 13: IN WHICH WE DISCOVER A HIDDEN GEM<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 23-25: Chisinau, Moldova to Odessa, Ukraine.</strong> Arranged by our hotel in Chisinau, our driver Alex picked us up promptly at 10 Tuesday morning for our transfer to Odessa in a spotlessly clean, late model Volkswagen sedan. Our first question to the part-time driver/full-time firefighter was what route he would be taking. As he would explain, our concerns about going through Transnistra, a disputed territory of Moldova which declared its independence from Moldova with a military conflict in 1992 and is now occupied by friendly Russian troops, were unfounded. The mini-state's independence has been acknowledged by only three similar non-recognized states.<br />
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Regardless of what we have read from other travelers about uncomfortable experiences going through this militarized zone, Alex assured us that he regularly drives tourists to Tirasapol, the center of Transnistran government, with no problems. At any rate, he had decided on a different route to Odessa, bypassing Transnistra, because he believed the roads were better. And as we were to be reminded, ‘better’ is like beauty—in the eyes of the beholder (or the seat of the driver).<br />
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The 112-mile journey took four hours because the washboard road prevented Alex from driving any faster without bouncing us around the car like pinballs. And this was the good road. Beginning in Sarajevo next week-end, this journey will turn into a road trip for about four weeks, and we expect we’ll learn more about “good” roads—and border crossings. Even at a friendly border, where Moldovan and Ukranian governments have combined their resources into one passport control checkpoint and where we were escorted by a driver who spoke both languages, the process took what for us seemed an uncomfortably long time. Had we been on our own, we would have probably been concerned by the 20 minutes we sat there in the car after turning our passports over to the border agents. Following Alex’s lead, however, we learned that some matters just take time. This will serve us well in upcoming weeks.<br />
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Upon our arrival in Odessa, we were ready to stretch our legs after dropping our bags off at the hotel we had booked. After walking a mile to the city center and finding a restaurant for lunch, we decided we'd rather stay in that area and called for an Uber driver to take us to our original hotel to pick up our bags and return us to the new place we had just booked. When he arrived, it was quickly clear that he did not understand English. Using the Google Translate app, we displayed on a phone screen our request in Ukranian. He again indicated he didn’t understand. After Google translated the request to Russian for us, he caught on and we were on our way. When we arrived and I pulled out my phone to book the return with Uber, we learned at least one English word that he knew: “Cash!”
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathedral Park</td></tr>
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In the remainder of that afternoon and over the next two days, we fell for Odessa. It’s hard to pin down exactly what makes it so likable. We didn’t find the people extrovertedly friendly—though they certainly weren’t inhospitable—but we felt a tone and spirit to the city that appealed to us, even with a communication barrier. Though Ukranian is the official language of the country, people in Odessa speak Russian, a holdover from the Soviet days. Most people we encountered, outside our hotel and restaurants, spoke almost no English, only a few functional words for their jobs. Yet we felt quite comfortable, welcome, and safe, in the city.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Odessa port</td></tr>
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Ukraine’s third most populous city, Odessa is a major Black Sea port and a popular tourist destination for Ukranians and others in the region. Though various settlements had existed at the city’s location going back to ancient Greece, Odessa was founded in 1794 by a decree of Catherine the Great, whose Russian Empire had wrested the area from the Turks two years before.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to Catherine and other city founders</td></tr>
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Just two years after her pronouncement, Catherine died and her son and successor, Czar Paul I, was not so enthusiastic about the new city his mother had established on the Black Sea. For Odessa to thrive, the development of its port facilities was essential, but Paul had other ideas for how to spend the money allocated for that purpose. In an effort to persuade the new ruler of the advantages of having a seaport at his disposal, Odessa officials reportedly sent oranges and other tropical fruit to him at his winter palace in St. Petersburg.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to Orange</td></tr>
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The juicy goodness of the fruits moved the czar, and Odessa's funding was restored, ensuring its future and prompting city officials to build a monument to the orange. <br />
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An exiled French nobleman, the Duke of Richelieu, had joined the Russian Army and received the favor of Catherine, but like Odessa, fell out of favor when her son rose to the throne. After Paul's assassination, however, his successor, Alexander I, appointed Richelieu governor of Odessa. Under his 11-year tenure, the city grew in size and significance as he invested his talent and resources in its development. A statue of the Duke in a prominent place in the city attests to his importance in its early years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA8BgbZE0hcqaqSNF_QdVuS_ULPzwI0Cv5oNN6FOLbUMsM22I3LyctGxh-uv-MimjBcD817iPDE60N5CcG4Up5sQZXgHKDPCpMZNYbNl-wdzt7bCjnuf1cWZlySDRSxB0wpVWA4TeC1c/s1600/3E5AAD07-E117-4C1A-97FF-73ABEFEEE3CE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA8BgbZE0hcqaqSNF_QdVuS_ULPzwI0Cv5oNN6FOLbUMsM22I3LyctGxh-uv-MimjBcD817iPDE60N5CcG4Up5sQZXgHKDPCpMZNYbNl-wdzt7bCjnuf1cWZlySDRSxB0wpVWA4TeC1c/s640/3E5AAD07-E117-4C1A-97FF-73ABEFEEE3CE.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duke of Richelieu returned to his native France after revolutionaries were ousted.</td></tr>
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Odessa became a cultural and intellectual center of the Russian Empire, as its population expanded to become Russia's third largest city. During a 19th century construction boom, the city added numerous buildings with Mediterranean influence—baroque, Renaissance, Classicist and later Art Nouveau. Today some have been restored while others are awaiting their preservation. <br />
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The city's two most recognized and praised buildings are the Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Passage Hotel. Though we were not able to book a tour to see the spectacular interior of the opera house, we looked at its baroque exterior from our hotel window.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opera House (<i>photo from Wikipedia</i> - Tour buses blocked the view while we were here.)</td></tr>
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The Odessa Passage was built as a hotel near the end of the 19th century and in its day was the country's most opulent. Shops, restaurants and offices on the lower floors now share space with a small budget hotel on upper floors, but its architecture is still admired. When we visited, art students were sitting in the courtyard sketching the famous structure.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Odessa Passage</td></tr>
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Perhaps the best known symbol of Odessa, however, is an enormous stairway leading from the port to the city. Originally known as the Giant Staircase, or the Richelieu Steps (because his statue is at the top), the structure is now called the Potemkin Steps, renamed for a famous battle during Soviet days.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iQe1qDN5XMOTjpbtGMlfAbBFdk8ODWPcUtOGsSTVntorj1AO1UgX1tdnM7LVZKDEjSJybeukauMIwMb8IrjeZbUJMWNQ-fcy76Ez3V8ttxnwI9-JrQpix-l9lsmy01k1Q6nRCQzFcsA/s1600/B0F98CA5-3285-4196-B871-F0332FD1A606.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iQe1qDN5XMOTjpbtGMlfAbBFdk8ODWPcUtOGsSTVntorj1AO1UgX1tdnM7LVZKDEjSJybeukauMIwMb8IrjeZbUJMWNQ-fcy76Ez3V8ttxnwI9-JrQpix-l9lsmy01k1Q6nRCQzFcsA/s640/B0F98CA5-3285-4196-B871-F0332FD1A606.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potemkin Steps</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The 192-step staircase is divided by nine broad landings, but its designers incorporated an optical illusion. Looking down from the top, one sees only the landings. Standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up, only the steps are visible. For those who don't want to make the climb back up or want a faster way down, a funicular runs alongside the steps.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmt3ddEUuxogGoaJ78cYzHq710P-rpcCiXedp-uBoJ-wjhuhN5FE1efwBck5R0Mmu7BUr6qe-zODE_q9bXCyoNRjMuIjafso4T4BII1kYsQEiEZLQeYFGt1iCCMiRGE8a93iB6xvjF10o/s1600/1458938D-AB2B-4DA2-8B3F-4D12A3DEC618.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmt3ddEUuxogGoaJ78cYzHq710P-rpcCiXedp-uBoJ-wjhuhN5FE1efwBck5R0Mmu7BUr6qe-zODE_q9bXCyoNRjMuIjafso4T4BII1kYsQEiEZLQeYFGt1iCCMiRGE8a93iB6xvjF10o/s640/1458938D-AB2B-4DA2-8B3F-4D12A3DEC618.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deribasovskaya Street</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of Odessa's features that really won us over is its walkability. Not only is this city of 1.2 million quite compact, it encourages pedestrianism. A favorite spot of both visitors and locals is Deribasovskaya Street, a six-block pedestrian thoroughfare in the heart of the city. Lined with restaurants and shops, the street is also home to City Garden, Odessa's first park, established in the early 1800s.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5sKpB4mUZUtFX2UdDVBuXy35KJAttb2mJqfSApsDjZUPWxVq6yCrka5Ckhq5eBEdS3QTVTlRP9AhashXbVWxBgNFN5G2J5oRSHJmr6ES7tBad1tKWBHzFZlOCm7GBnIvblaBXZWDMlk/s1600/000B298F-F7B7-4869-8DF6-9BEAF3511D03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5sKpB4mUZUtFX2UdDVBuXy35KJAttb2mJqfSApsDjZUPWxVq6yCrka5Ckhq5eBEdS3QTVTlRP9AhashXbVWxBgNFN5G2J5oRSHJmr6ES7tBad1tKWBHzFZlOCm7GBnIvblaBXZWDMlk/s640/000B298F-F7B7-4869-8DF6-9BEAF3511D03.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An empty chair is one of the park's most popular features. The sculpture references a novel, <i>12 Chairs</i>, by a local author. Not only is it a perfect photo spot, legend has it that wishes made while sitting in the chair will come true.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4am5gu1gSE02ZBv7y-q1N8wFtjI3gpfiU2XjdmZVflnQLx_zCJukWu__Aknm__8p_2u13yyIZu2XfhrxbWTNmFO3vw4bRcwf2J3aicdnX7uv-x_1Gy7Rm9QnNoFRy4wNEEFUhd9edpg/s1600/2E1BDA1D-F409-476F-88DF-695AD818C976.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4am5gu1gSE02ZBv7y-q1N8wFtjI3gpfiU2XjdmZVflnQLx_zCJukWu__Aknm__8p_2u13yyIZu2XfhrxbWTNmFO3vw4bRcwf2J3aicdnX7uv-x_1Gy7Rm9QnNoFRy4wNEEFUhd9edpg/s640/2E1BDA1D-F409-476F-88DF-695AD818C976.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chair</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At the top of the Potemkin Steps, the tree-lined Primorsky Boulevard offers another appealing place for pedestrians to wander. In the evenings, colorful lights decorate the trees and enchant those who take their evening stroll along the cliff-top promenade.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sJn-7TT1vskzdIlUokiV0ZTZk3Vjgawx9oO2FV1EhXd8ykPvRmQMM2GqR1CVJ5gGiF0duXfeze1hP4ZBCrcaz6HCRdC8rbXN36WqATp3efYIXIurfk1FtEWrsIpOiKyTzGeRD5JhFgY/s1600/CB023464-FC3D-4CCF-9CCB-7FA98E6A8EF3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sJn-7TT1vskzdIlUokiV0ZTZk3Vjgawx9oO2FV1EhXd8ykPvRmQMM2GqR1CVJ5gGiF0duXfeze1hP4ZBCrcaz6HCRdC8rbXN36WqATp3efYIXIurfk1FtEWrsIpOiKyTzGeRD5JhFgY/s640/CB023464-FC3D-4CCF-9CCB-7FA98E6A8EF3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Primorsky Boulevard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
North and south of the city, Odessa offers sandy beaches for vacationers to enjoy the sun. In mid-April, it was a bit cool for too much lounging, but summertime draws large crowds here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3PXzcIvUUVWaqs5zNJloIOs9LIHyqkopx7DBZDVFQTgvhWb3JRALdJYljLT5fXg53aoRD1IMVPbVO5txE1pqn0anF6D5hkVVyf94pB4ccUNvRCnkCnmx0Yp8jV2DSKfIDbNg8wvnvB8/s1600/52C9B9A4-B2DE-4AF6-ACC5-7BD395D63EB9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3PXzcIvUUVWaqs5zNJloIOs9LIHyqkopx7DBZDVFQTgvhWb3JRALdJYljLT5fXg53aoRD1IMVPbVO5txE1pqn0anF6D5hkVVyf94pB4ccUNvRCnkCnmx0Yp8jV2DSKfIDbNg8wvnvB8/s640/52C9B9A4-B2DE-4AF6-ACC5-7BD395D63EB9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lanzheron Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We can't finish our say on Odessa without a word about its cats. The city is home to thousands of stray cats. Actually a better term might be neighborhood cats. In many places on the street, in front of businesses, and in parks, evidence abounds that the people of Odessa are taking great care of these cats. Truly stray cats never looked so healthy. They're all over the city, wandering at will, hanging out with people working on construction projects, nosing after children playing in the park. Even if Odessa had nothing else to recommend it, a city that loves its cats is definitely on our good list.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttnjb2vajZ2GwIgJi64uX7cam0kOsu82pQS2pW4lAddA6SfQFsSAodibvTNDrxbmctVHBCFn80oh7VCFiJSpRFzicTEbz9W4RLIssAdljNoAj6gaERgbFgGTpU8cVLXjcAk4J8PJ_D-M/s1600/E5A8104B-998F-4A20-8312-B3D687892F0B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttnjb2vajZ2GwIgJi64uX7cam0kOsu82pQS2pW4lAddA6SfQFsSAodibvTNDrxbmctVHBCFn80oh7VCFiJSpRFzicTEbz9W4RLIssAdljNoAj6gaERgbFgGTpU8cVLXjcAk4J8PJ_D-M/s640/E5A8104B-998F-4A20-8312-B3D687892F0B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Tomorrow we'll reluctantly leave this lovely city on the sea and fly to Bulgaria's capital of Sofia for a few days. Odessa will be a hard act to follow. Just so you know, Sofia.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">TUESDAY, 17 APRIL — THURSDAY, 19 APRIL, 2018</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3-Day Stats</b></span><br />
• <b>Started in: </b> Chisinau, Moldova<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Odessa, Ukraine<br />
• <b>Miles driven:</b> 120<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 19.07<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 52° to 76°, sunny<br />
• <b>Strollers on Primorsky Boulevard: </b>3,612<br />
• <b>Odessa Street Cats: </b>4,835<br />
• <b>Unhealthy Odessa Street Cats: </b>0<br />
• <b>Letterboxes in Odessa:</b> 1 (planted by us)<br />
• <b>Restoration Projects Underway:</b> 419<br />
• <b>Other U.S. Tourists we Met: </b>1 (from Lake Odessa, Michigan)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Loved: </b> Before leaving home, our plans called for us to fly to Kiev from Chisinau. When we learned there was a train to Odessa, we changed our course. Even though the train wasn't running, we can't imagine enjoying Kiev any more than we liked Odessa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Lacking:</b> American tourists. As in Chisinau, we encountered far fewer Americans than in Western Europe and even in the cities we visited earlier on this trip. Odessa is really a hidden gem; we wonder how long it will be before American tourists discover it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Learned: </b> Even though there was significantly more of a language barrier in Odessa than we've experienced in any other European country (except maybe Moldova), we were still able to enjoy the city.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos from Odessa</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-U-XuAbWFTIftajXl3UJqXYVvrblsEXCkZhU_OX4_8sgsHBJgTbDEkmKljdbr2JrABzGaF-y47_nIUQ05GLM6sSu24RxFsfN4c2q0gzfp7u-qJJCMjr9jHIfVS4b4-c4GfEMMqVufQQs/s1600/C0D2BE63-0633-4480-8589-7E6E730046B4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-U-XuAbWFTIftajXl3UJqXYVvrblsEXCkZhU_OX4_8sgsHBJgTbDEkmKljdbr2JrABzGaF-y47_nIUQ05GLM6sSu24RxFsfN4c2q0gzfp7u-qJJCMjr9jHIfVS4b4-c4GfEMMqVufQQs/s640/C0D2BE63-0633-4480-8589-7E6E730046B4.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transfiguration (Orthodox) Cathedral in central Odessa </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1B85DwYIttdFZQcK_D87kGLlm_o0NE9LYEJJmoBVrTymvgjyte0GeTQDsUn3Qp7oXQebWzYZj1SXzr_kqRriymhY7ah33p2Z0mAkdeTY-SgbeURKO9z7iNTfi4bbyHxrgbJqTp-no8w/s1600/17E45282-66F6-48A3-B6FF-602DFD364E07.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1B85DwYIttdFZQcK_D87kGLlm_o0NE9LYEJJmoBVrTymvgjyte0GeTQDsUn3Qp7oXQebWzYZj1SXzr_kqRriymhY7ah33p2Z0mAkdeTY-SgbeURKO9z7iNTfi4bbyHxrgbJqTp-no8w/s640/17E45282-66F6-48A3-B6FF-602DFD364E07.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transfiguration Cathedral </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTQSLeT1k7s7OiTr1YTYk-YDy5HdPcn7CEwhNfnC-QRKR2Q1hssXNhObfq3_rJsY_j7dCUfK3LGMYbguEN2ge9WTzA4zh0JgO_dm5Vjqm55uhnd_BVhDpnXkTOy-B4uXYpZHnIFJnC1I/s1600/891872DF-3652-4889-8EBB-68C5A19DC26E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTQSLeT1k7s7OiTr1YTYk-YDy5HdPcn7CEwhNfnC-QRKR2Q1hssXNhObfq3_rJsY_j7dCUfK3LGMYbguEN2ge9WTzA4zh0JgO_dm5Vjqm55uhnd_BVhDpnXkTOy-B4uXYpZHnIFJnC1I/s640/891872DF-3652-4889-8EBB-68C5A19DC26E.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathedral's High Altar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPJJ5DsPnkUJQ4puuTOw97LfoZyGMS8dXZ5Df0v3ecRkuNtGs3xuc9_B3TBuoFWe_pj8_2uz8pzhOgDvDbYB6LLixH71ShK1FsyxizU0eMdyApQ47K3kI4js5wP6H-MPdUcMra6ebZXI/s1600/B6EF021C-ACD2-429D-A0D0-42C0779575C7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPJJ5DsPnkUJQ4puuTOw97LfoZyGMS8dXZ5Df0v3ecRkuNtGs3xuc9_B3TBuoFWe_pj8_2uz8pzhOgDvDbYB6LLixH71ShK1FsyxizU0eMdyApQ47K3kI4js5wP6H-MPdUcMra6ebZXI/s640/B6EF021C-ACD2-429D-A0D0-42C0779575C7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathedral exterior</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCwpZRbCxXW6t06XJghZ-bccJHSlOmifpu1PvdqgD84B-S5CqdUvEPkxf4R38U-FdB6_sEKnqiLHDjyhwrY2fYm7b9RGWFRBhpE2pxDfVUMWmywcWgNR2jhTQFOTim7u0xnOo2IsXkzI/s1600/50C4C6BD-5875-4CB6-9392-0365E2101A9A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCwpZRbCxXW6t06XJghZ-bccJHSlOmifpu1PvdqgD84B-S5CqdUvEPkxf4R38U-FdB6_sEKnqiLHDjyhwrY2fYm7b9RGWFRBhpE2pxDfVUMWmywcWgNR2jhTQFOTim7u0xnOo2IsXkzI/s640/50C4C6BD-5875-4CB6-9392-0365E2101A9A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lush green space surrounding the cathedral is well-used. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPlxvlJLy6WFCQcsgCeDr9GL3JEo2CPLagLIMInU3Xgmmsu3nakDc5oALMnM4PXHgunfla3XZxpWxy9ADL9EF4UI7g5dIye7Ph_ALbDguiYYKgUDgiq2OV2lQLeIRVsxX5iuVTpkKUTo/s1600/A695996C-3E36-4138-8D94-D88F94917A3D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPlxvlJLy6WFCQcsgCeDr9GL3JEo2CPLagLIMInU3Xgmmsu3nakDc5oALMnM4PXHgunfla3XZxpWxy9ADL9EF4UI7g5dIye7Ph_ALbDguiYYKgUDgiq2OV2lQLeIRVsxX5iuVTpkKUTo/s640/A695996C-3E36-4138-8D94-D88F94917A3D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Odessa City Hall at the end of Primorsky Boulevard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsiaF79ElxJKE0ncGVsClesB8vBtlYX8Yip89WB3ddAwjONyQYppItIrdpRS8AgqBwfC2sehWrFDbkack8U7hCgK8tA74o5tkckPE-bG4xS_Zq3KLUP4mmUzGceelzy6l2UYp0pA2h3U/s1600/A010CAAD-8F68-46E0-A443-CB331258C93C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsiaF79ElxJKE0ncGVsClesB8vBtlYX8Yip89WB3ddAwjONyQYppItIrdpRS8AgqBwfC2sehWrFDbkack8U7hCgK8tA74o5tkckPE-bG4xS_Zq3KLUP4mmUzGceelzy6l2UYp0pA2h3U/s640/A010CAAD-8F68-46E0-A443-CB331258C93C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opera House (R) in the evening</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIleH0EY8KrVm21ks-FNrFYyWsy84DEGxYGVq0zP1ExxIQYW6zJvM9EfKh_r7C18Dy6HeD7nQ2aND9WOxlm7j8XuuzuLJE2nm7rA3iV4TJioJ4ToMNCrAVWQmgUN4hh7cwwGl6c6iDR0o/s1600/B9079A18-1821-4C38-AD75-8D10C37C5B05.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIleH0EY8KrVm21ks-FNrFYyWsy84DEGxYGVq0zP1ExxIQYW6zJvM9EfKh_r7C18Dy6HeD7nQ2aND9WOxlm7j8XuuzuLJE2nm7rA3iV4TJioJ4ToMNCrAVWQmgUN4hh7cwwGl6c6iDR0o/s640/B9079A18-1821-4C38-AD75-8D10C37C5B05.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imagine all this extra weight kept off nearby bridges from the love locks on the sculpture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigv1OIcjAQ8H53RMnaBlaTzwOedA7NJuYLm9M5vjV7PmnuvoMSb7bE9EN2x7CDoo9ycal-b8GQCm_xFF4SiYp1zDOD33WgTggUWjYpNxM0i4YrFgnt4KZ8Ho8jX4KcHcGXJ75lUWY2NRg/s1600/6257215A-B8F3-42EE-B19C-D2C7CEBBDEAC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigv1OIcjAQ8H53RMnaBlaTzwOedA7NJuYLm9M5vjV7PmnuvoMSb7bE9EN2x7CDoo9ycal-b8GQCm_xFF4SiYp1zDOD33WgTggUWjYpNxM0i4YrFgnt4KZ8Ho8jX4KcHcGXJ75lUWY2NRg/s640/6257215A-B8F3-42EE-B19C-D2C7CEBBDEAC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonder whether Willie Nelson knows he graces the cover of this restaurant menu? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nR01W291WZGCMc0ResqgSgwsmikjpxlZ4BHwsp9zo_3fVhsfXKx9D-EMobrOIR6jsj0UZwA5sXhCg29ZR1IO8LYwn81eSZcbR_ntMPGvAIewow3meqE2eFk6pEGAJ5Xjczhjh-yS08s/s1600/19F79614-1125-424F-AFFA-AB1D841070AE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nR01W291WZGCMc0ResqgSgwsmikjpxlZ4BHwsp9zo_3fVhsfXKx9D-EMobrOIR6jsj0UZwA5sXhCg29ZR1IO8LYwn81eSZcbR_ntMPGvAIewow3meqE2eFk6pEGAJ5Xjczhjh-yS08s/s640/19F79614-1125-424F-AFFA-AB1D841070AE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another small but active synagogue, this one in Odessa.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AZAw4eaUp5-e60Xk7_irPVWBdEuySQuRVq4bLncmMj9odQWmCeGByu2W3NU4H222x7O7h2AdCB-_6E1j4AMfp9VuJfql0d3kj_iZnvTBKtAtHM1iiR9KFvo-ZbFt0fd0FKT2Hcq6DMA/s1600/C44781AD-95BD-4513-9425-AB36EC6D75B9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AZAw4eaUp5-e60Xk7_irPVWBdEuySQuRVq4bLncmMj9odQWmCeGByu2W3NU4H222x7O7h2AdCB-_6E1j4AMfp9VuJfql0d3kj_iZnvTBKtAtHM1iiR9KFvo-ZbFt0fd0FKT2Hcq6DMA/s640/C44781AD-95BD-4513-9425-AB36EC6D75B9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument to the Unknown Sailor, honoring Soviet sailors who died "liberating" Odessa in World War II </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmADr7oD9fsIb7qchHYoHk60eH0hsv2HpBigcAll3u4a0PTLHfelU_J7NygG12EldwQQStp7zGplDNicPt1kGW01e0nayAfKaF25EuC9BVAxBv6e4UiDI9uQxLufPy2AWWfz_irR_q4_I/s1600/19850BE6-B83E-456C-BC0A-490E77F485CD.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1600" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmADr7oD9fsIb7qchHYoHk60eH0hsv2HpBigcAll3u4a0PTLHfelU_J7NygG12EldwQQStp7zGplDNicPt1kGW01e0nayAfKaF25EuC9BVAxBv6e4UiDI9uQxLufPy2AWWfz_irR_q4_I/s640/19850BE6-B83E-456C-BC0A-490E77F485CD.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sample of water from the Black Sea for our collection</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicp5nhmSQLxbEfKWzbKeoqp1EK-R3yMFdqKGkmFweyWvzV14cIrRTC-sLuX9KGdvhGYLsdvlrjbzNKo0ydVpiGoVbuSyg9HPQse1nGZI6NEyru4yt_NVyDOz6FQ_8SfP9cd5n6DfS0jtE/s1600/C1A0F270-36AD-4F73-A281-0F36B60F84C7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicp5nhmSQLxbEfKWzbKeoqp1EK-R3yMFdqKGkmFweyWvzV14cIrRTC-sLuX9KGdvhGYLsdvlrjbzNKo0ydVpiGoVbuSyg9HPQse1nGZI6NEyru4yt_NVyDOz6FQ_8SfP9cd5n6DfS0jtE/s640/C1A0F270-36AD-4F73-A281-0F36B60F84C7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Popular photo spot and performing spot near the opera house </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdh24FVxSaxH-uf3ZUM8DOvLyKBkSGyMzLQflwx-L4GkhXi-8TOlrjJNwrFbLCrtAsgPkAmM8iO9Yya-CvCHNrjyT7yRqv5YkXgOHNAB8AR_zF_cj1ihd5twu1DlFzYNcn9b0IfzMsxps/s1600/1C53FA50-9750-472F-B3B1-425995DEB4BF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdh24FVxSaxH-uf3ZUM8DOvLyKBkSGyMzLQflwx-L4GkhXi-8TOlrjJNwrFbLCrtAsgPkAmM8iO9Yya-CvCHNrjyT7yRqv5YkXgOHNAB8AR_zF_cj1ihd5twu1DlFzYNcn9b0IfzMsxps/s640/1C53FA50-9750-472F-B3B1-425995DEB4BF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potemkin Steps in the evening</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5haOmkjURGGfuEuqJm3WKi1imyGyW4EIUr-DrtaMcy2CSFtD_KBw74pU1Nn2TxPt6lrOHOBkTZxiBP89LwLgjLE03BMek_c8VfAhcYXoNXU2tRhKKnF3utIEUX0JWFG7Qtj_ym_ENom0/s1600/8F1181B1-6DF6-4B5B-AD61-9D0E83A1943E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5haOmkjURGGfuEuqJm3WKi1imyGyW4EIUr-DrtaMcy2CSFtD_KBw74pU1Nn2TxPt6lrOHOBkTZxiBP89LwLgjLE03BMek_c8VfAhcYXoNXU2tRhKKnF3utIEUX0JWFG7Qtj_ym_ENom0/s640/8F1181B1-6DF6-4B5B-AD61-9D0E83A1943E.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the top, only the landings are seen. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVs8CLxsETmgNiKWRAMROiRRcp-tNHAwQ_0BwAP09r-VnqWAhIeZ9G0-AfQzhMj9wobAhBK1W8tLgpFxnrybMN5BhOCX01rsSvmBrkwq_xOYSuR4Bp1pEpMRWTn7CRWSfNtVb_UDfWrw/s1600/03779280-D111-408B-9C4E-BDCDA264F831.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqVs8CLxsETmgNiKWRAMROiRRcp-tNHAwQ_0BwAP09r-VnqWAhIeZ9G0-AfQzhMj9wobAhBK1W8tLgpFxnrybMN5BhOCX01rsSvmBrkwq_xOYSuR4Bp1pEpMRWTn7CRWSfNtVb_UDfWrw/s640/03779280-D111-408B-9C4E-BDCDA264F831.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signpost near City Hall enumerates distances from Odessa to world cities.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comOdesa, Odessa Oblast, Ukraine, 6500046.482526 30.72330950000002846.132503 30.077862500000027 46.832549 31.368756500000028tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-748723546488688128.post-82310417875642155982018-04-16T03:00:00.000-04:002018-04-17T00:27:01.773-04:00Oops! We Did It Again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CHAPTER 12: IN WHICH THE ENERGIZER BUNNY ABDUCTS EASTER<br />
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<strong>Balkans & Beyond, Days 21 & 22: Bucharest, Romania to Chisinau, Moldova.</strong> Two weeks ago we arrived in Bratislava on Easter (the Catholic/Protestant version) followed by the Easter Monday national holiday. Last Sunday we flew into Cluj, Romania, and learned that it was again Easter Sunday (by the Orthodox calendar) followed by the Easter Monday holiday. And, though we laughingly assured ourselves it couldn't happen again—yes, it did. <br />
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Yesterday we flew from Bucharest to Chisinau (KEESH-eh-NOW), capital of the Republic of Moldova. When we reached our hotel, we learned that we had arrived on Memorial Easter and that the next day was—a national holiday, Memorial Easter Monday, or Parents Day. (Of course it is, because we're just so good at it by now.) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSa1cOb_3Kh7Nh84W6qs2dQgd7kpgP2UpoCg2-RUBM_O-C2jaRqHGKkUgZs-u_1UZjkBveKZqxhzecXZHjJr2T36KUa8lVOMUCokgJU51A8KwZ25kRvyJJNAIyt_mU9zy49iOymO_Jsgg/s1600/9300CB58-350E-460D-B5D1-0A39D0EA585C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSa1cOb_3Kh7Nh84W6qs2dQgd7kpgP2UpoCg2-RUBM_O-C2jaRqHGKkUgZs-u_1UZjkBveKZqxhzecXZHjJr2T36KUa8lVOMUCokgJU51A8KwZ25kRvyJJNAIyt_mU9zy49iOymO_Jsgg/s640/9300CB58-350E-460D-B5D1-0A39D0EA585C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cemetery on Memorial Easter Monday <i>(photo from 326nfranklin.blogspot.com)</i></td></tr>
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In Moldova, where 93% of the people are members of the Moldovan Orthodox Church, Memorial Easter, also called Easter of the Dead, is a very big deal. And on this special Monday, thousands of Moldovans, dressed as if they're attending a wedding, flock to the cemeteries where their ancestors are buried, bearing gifts and food. To honor the deceased and ensure that they are resting in peace, relatives and friends eat and drink graveside and celebrate the lives of their deceased loved ones. The city provides extra buses and opens hundreds of parking spaces near cemeteries on this day to accommodate the throngs of cemetery visitors.<br />
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As mentioned, we had no idea about any of this until we were enlightened by the hotel staff when we checked in. Meanwhile, we had booked a guided tour of the city today through a Canadian-based website called ToursByLocals.com. We had mixed results with their agents last year—perfect in St. Petersburg, pathetic in Minsk. In fact, we booked this event on a credit the agency issued us last year because of our atrocious experience in Belarus.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VcdSNfzvpunh7xjOtR4mw7geR8maSkN33mJMhwK1Vdqt9P8X2I5igce5U0HwLmcaiJIday0Dn8HwtPO5OKU0VEv0YNSH2NkkiirnKZ21x79iX8u-Ir7EUr9rVP-HqCReSprdW8hsMa8/s1600/F5C128C8-553B-49A0-9037-CE07AB0562B5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VcdSNfzvpunh7xjOtR4mw7geR8maSkN33mJMhwK1Vdqt9P8X2I5igce5U0HwLmcaiJIday0Dn8HwtPO5OKU0VEv0YNSH2NkkiirnKZ21x79iX8u-Ir7EUr9rVP-HqCReSprdW8hsMa8/s640/F5C128C8-553B-49A0-9037-CE07AB0562B5.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nativity Cathedral, Chisinau</td></tr>
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In all fairness, the city of Chisinau (the one called "the most boring capital in Europe") does not offer that many wonderful places for our guide Valery to choose from. We compounded his challenge by showing up on a day when all the museums and government buildings were closed. But he made the best of a difficult situation and even threw in a private concert at his alma mater where he earned a degree in music.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valery shares some of his musical compositions.</td></tr>
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His second university degree was in international relations and English, and it showed. He was quite knowledgeable about the history of his country and many others. His willingness to talk openly about Moldova's past and current situations made for a fascinating three hours.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2JKJSttRV8Y_w1LDXO662myrZZhtL5ZS5Iko_8ncYXj5e_CoHGhja_mowM11SssEbVswWhiYdNxrpSVkzwb2d4uxF3U0bX7_lhY7BlZIT4U-6B4xCNr3MSZUjjnBjrYP-aDVVIwax40/s1600/71F02BFD-71A1-4A63-9AFA-F2435A7C09EC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2JKJSttRV8Y_w1LDXO662myrZZhtL5ZS5Iko_8ncYXj5e_CoHGhja_mowM11SssEbVswWhiYdNxrpSVkzwb2d4uxF3U0bX7_lhY7BlZIT4U-6B4xCNr3MSZUjjnBjrYP-aDVVIwax40/s640/71F02BFD-71A1-4A63-9AFA-F2435A7C09EC.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cathedral was built of local limestone.</td></tr>
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First stop on our tour was the Nativity Cathedral near our hotel. Valery explained that before Moldova was absorbed by the Russian empire in the early 1800s, Chisinau was a city of wooden and clay buildings which were regularly inundated by an overflowing river. An ambitious building program by the Russians brought stone and masonry construction to the city as well as flood control and improved streets. The orthodox cathedral was part of this building boom.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyue4CjYR7UDNmyeG9DB3yWkpcLQMRz40krUUZCwfHvfygCqczWhh-zq0YAnqFV7l-tpO3XpXJcNszVIpDadN7diCKSdYSs0HB0ExqYi5wK1g4ofY1Xx42uX-IN_o7keaywkZqcHwVWOc/s1600/56115C5C-6426-4AB9-96DE-142F72E9C4FC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1586" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyue4CjYR7UDNmyeG9DB3yWkpcLQMRz40krUUZCwfHvfygCqczWhh-zq0YAnqFV7l-tpO3XpXJcNszVIpDadN7diCKSdYSs0HB0ExqYi5wK1g4ofY1Xx42uX-IN_o7keaywkZqcHwVWOc/s640/56115C5C-6426-4AB9-96DE-142F72E9C4FC.jpeg" width="634" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ is Risen, the LED lights proclaim on Memorial Easter. </td></tr>
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During the Soviet period, the cathedral, like most other religious buildings, was repurposed as an art gallery. The city's only church allowed to continue functioning was St. Theodor Tiron Church, whose construction was financed by two brothers in the mid-1800s.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fD6y7Q0N1LEwBb_duT1SOTrz5bN8ZyUO5gvPTVnp6e3pNyfM8cttdXpp2CyG4a2OJOIx5vihZkUIVsxf2fLxu7Z05ru7yuCikLlfdWB0ZejIYvOSf7cxpfNETsW0n-4-nj2562NI3Mg/s1600/926787A9-D4FA-44DA-B243-2D62E3150169.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fD6y7Q0N1LEwBb_duT1SOTrz5bN8ZyUO5gvPTVnp6e3pNyfM8cttdXpp2CyG4a2OJOIx5vihZkUIVsxf2fLxu7Z05ru7yuCikLlfdWB0ZejIYvOSf7cxpfNETsW0n-4-nj2562NI3Mg/s640/926787A9-D4FA-44DA-B243-2D62E3150169.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
Situated near the cathedral, the Triumphal Arch was built to commemorate the victory of the Russian Empire over the Ottoman Empire in Moldova in the early 19th century. Like most countries of Eastern Europe, Moldova has been occupied and claimed by any number of imperial kingdoms over the course of many centuries. According to Valery, a bit of baksheesh to the Ottoman rulers had bought Moldova a degree of autonomy, which ended after the country was "liberated" by the Russians, the event memorialized by the arch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsOabAxyF_oF6_dh8OkZpwx_-ee0yRqMIcLqKO5OW-0r7TDczsnV2-f9or5BN3cChwr3z0zvovvgq4g3opMZ-Iy_DNet1oIgs7W5WCgSqqCyagUIMsliIrUub-_V9uinEwKw-_X2mU2k/s1600/12166ED0-FCDD-4456-8FE2-FA4D4FCF0917.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsOabAxyF_oF6_dh8OkZpwx_-ee0yRqMIcLqKO5OW-0r7TDczsnV2-f9or5BN3cChwr3z0zvovvgq4g3opMZ-Iy_DNet1oIgs7W5WCgSqqCyagUIMsliIrUub-_V9uinEwKw-_X2mU2k/s640/12166ED0-FCDD-4456-8FE2-FA4D4FCF0917.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
After 100 years in the Russian Empire, Moldova was joined to Greater Romania after World War I, surprisingly the only time the two countries have been united, despite the fact that their people share a common ancestry and language. The Romanian union lasted only until the country was occupied by Germany in World War II. Moldova was delivered from German bondage in 1945 by the Soviet Union, which then insisted that it become the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic and built a large park with numerous Soviet Brutalist monuments celebrating Moldovan "liberation." <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1_pHywP7vYHnrTCjF7tqX9gk2-ZnLfpDoeIPwLTHXBWK1GHv3-PJ8HCa7UovQ5yN2Di1li34GtDLafQFKCzkWyALsh7VhBGEauHSr-O9kr-qJM8woy0x1H83L4my575DawCxuZozcjc/s1600/DA61D875-F61C-469C-BCE4-F9B384F52AD4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1_pHywP7vYHnrTCjF7tqX9gk2-ZnLfpDoeIPwLTHXBWK1GHv3-PJ8HCa7UovQ5yN2Di1li34GtDLafQFKCzkWyALsh7VhBGEauHSr-O9kr-qJM8woy0x1H83L4my575DawCxuZozcjc/s640/DA61D875-F61C-469C-BCE4-F9B384F52AD4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jewish Cemetery</td></tr>
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At our request, Valery took us to an old Jewish cemetery at the outskirts of town. Like in so many parts of Europe, the Jewish population of Moldova shrank from 270,000 before World War II to about 15,000 today. As a result, this large Jewish cemetery with more than 25,000 graves has fallen into disrepair. Some graves were damaged by bombing in World War II and others have been swallowed up by thick vegetation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLgGF_5sWwLuh3mXzLB0QfJGo0SkGYISQSs5c3FE6I7xGqccglj_But7WPRyne8iBoyrj6lADXpIG_bs3dWkSXDn5uv7TR_nqZGAhTxqo5zwUd24EUMxLuWPEZKq9evYyma6uS_PQx-Q/s1600/D8B8D86B-5D89-4984-826C-25E8B70661D4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzLgGF_5sWwLuh3mXzLB0QfJGo0SkGYISQSs5c3FE6I7xGqccglj_But7WPRyne8iBoyrj6lADXpIG_bs3dWkSXDn5uv7TR_nqZGAhTxqo5zwUd24EUMxLuWPEZKq9evYyma6uS_PQx-Q/s640/D8B8D86B-5D89-4984-826C-25E8B70661D4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chava insisted on taking our photo.</td></tr>
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We also stopped by one of two small synagogues still in Chisinau. Before the Holocaust, there were 77, according to Chava, an Israeli woman we met who serves as a volunteer at the synagogue and helps to organize outreach programs. After the disastrous condition of the cemetery, seeing the enthusiasm and hearing about the many activities and publications organized by this small organization left us quite encouraged about the local Jewish community.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzfg5QugGoW1Z2L_EZSM2ILXAp_4_4krraVGUIE4YXFjeOLwO5WkFnGCRJCBIIQ4kC0QHz8P2DPZYebHT9M2VYkm7FplChfthbDAE_4D5tHgaFvA05H5vmikJ3XFklp2G3HawYZ6lxqA/s1600/1A7EC7C6-D50E-48D3-9B01-5C2B48AC4228.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1600" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzfg5QugGoW1Z2L_EZSM2ILXAp_4_4krraVGUIE4YXFjeOLwO5WkFnGCRJCBIIQ4kC0QHz8P2DPZYebHT9M2VYkm7FplChfthbDAE_4D5tHgaFvA05H5vmikJ3XFklp2G3HawYZ6lxqA/s640/1A7EC7C6-D50E-48D3-9B01-5C2B48AC4228.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bus station</td></tr>
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When we leave Chisinau tomorrow, the next stop on our journey is Odessa, Ukraine's seaport on the Black Sea. Our research indicated that daily train service runs between Chisinau and Odessa. But when we talked with the hotel concierge today about helping us book a ticket, she contacted the Moldovan railway and flatly stated that the train to Odessa operates only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. (Later we learned from Valery that the daily service, which travels a different route from the weekend fast trains, has been suspended while a bridge is under repair.) </div>
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Knowing there was nothing to keep us in Chisinau for three more days, we asked about alternate modes of transport. We already knew air was out of the question with no direct flights between the two cities, only 112 miles apart. With connections, the minimum air travel time—through Istanbul or Moscow or Kiev or Vienna—was 15 hours, and the fares were exorbitant. A rental car was out of the question because no rental company would allow us to take the car across the border and into Ukraine.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFvJ1FJsLI3FeT79XzDMV1iTKPnfJ1SQDe8p71ZFdHx-3gYQwOCJKraT-ziLcwLdMu1tjVIECH5nEbYMUesROyYJa4mFUhl5FhES1n5xMnaBdFibzqKXghkKA_sQyIhWSQi_cFaqVcic/s1600/B2E56156-2E96-4ECD-A110-863D182B243F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFvJ1FJsLI3FeT79XzDMV1iTKPnfJ1SQDe8p71ZFdHx-3gYQwOCJKraT-ziLcwLdMu1tjVIECH5nEbYMUesROyYJa4mFUhl5FhES1n5xMnaBdFibzqKXghkKA_sQyIhWSQi_cFaqVcic/s640/B2E56156-2E96-4ECD-A110-863D182B243F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Moldovan marshrutka</td></tr>
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With a straight face, the concierge suggested we could take a bus. That sounded fine until we probed about the schedule. Was it available online? They leave every hour, she assured us. Just go to the bus station and you'll find a bus going to Odessa and leaving soon. But there's no schedule? Well, it's a small bus, she finally conceded. "Are you talking about a marshrutka?" we asked. "Yes," she smiled in response, "a maxi taxi." </div>
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If we were 30 years younger, we probably wouldn't hesitate to jump into one of these questionable rust buckets, with their reputation for reckless drivers, just for the sake of adventure. But to ride five hours at our age across what we hear can be a difficult border crossing without an English-speaking driver? We could go on about the reasons we had to pass on the marshrutka experience. Suffice it to say, we finally settled on booking the transfer through the hotel, with the same type of car and English-speaking driver who delivered us from the airport.</div>
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So tomorrow we'll be moving on to Odessa for a few days, looking forward to seeing whether the Black Sea is really black. (Having seen the Red Sea, we have our doubts.)</div>
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By next Sunday, we'll be in Bulgaria. We think there's a 50-50 chance it'll be Easter!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">SUNDAY, 15 APRIL & MONDAY, 16 APRIL, 2018</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1600" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgAKteu0T3plIG1mBgxmjsWncfr7RR-BIdfu_qukHfLaVL7Gc0tIxEPnRr37JRsvj74WrGr7csdAH0Hyx7ylQw0OkMr05_duo8cW0ZrtdGmXLdZZZA6qQYkpF_bwTFzKA9TAq0yd2rOjt/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_36.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
• <b>Started in: </b> Bucharest, Romania<br />
• <b>Ended in: </b> Chisinau, Moldova<br />
• <b>Miles flown:</b> 222<br />
• <b>Miles walked:</b> 11.97<br />
• <b>Weather:</b> 43° to 72°, sunny to partly cloudy<br />
• <b>Marshrutkas around town:</b> 388<br />
• <b>Shops closed today:</b> 92%<br />
• <b>Schools closed today:</b> 100%<br />
• <b>Easters we've experienced this year: </b>3 (so far)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeA0vtkuKmdw4kv4aEua1IgyNodZxPiSDDqwLe0A2I87rVCfrdb-AK65giLTVwSR7cKW2A-if1aQjMHQbE9e98U3CHFSxuLOrJvcflIJDJC9gfWU365DYV49LvukOIce3xFITx3xIBXHP/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_34.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Loved: </b> The experience of meeting and spending quality time with a local.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Lacking: </b> Attractive options for getting from Chisinau to Odessa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Learned: </b> That Easter still ain't over until it's over where you are AND where you're going next Sunday.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmI3_8pDdRA93kWktwRwHhkFf63YZygdSwYKsNfiG0oe84Q7a8dVCw4BOdWi335HU-jylWSSyvk8hIMlH4_JI_oh3decZCQriA4gJX7iIzwRidFMuqfunmb05GEh4gKJ993VPyx0jOw4a/s1600/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="1600" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmI3_8pDdRA93kWktwRwHhkFf63YZygdSwYKsNfiG0oe84Q7a8dVCw4BOdWi335HU-jylWSSyvk8hIMlH4_JI_oh3decZCQriA4gJX7iIzwRidFMuqfunmb05GEh4gKJ993VPyx0jOw4a/s640/2016_11_12_14_18_41.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Romanian triskaidekaphobia: </b>Apparently it wasn't enough that we arrived in Bucharest on Friday the 13th and then were targeted by con men, the city took one more shot before we left. While sitting in the gate area awaiting our flight from Bucharest to Chisinau, we were notified that </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">there had been an equipment change and I had been upgraded to business class. Unfortunately Ken was </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">reassigned to a seat on 13, the last row on the tiny plane. We were dismayed. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> The number 13 has done us wrong so many times we assiduously avoid row 13 or even flying on the 13th. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_eyRazmhVq93KCnFtWaGWd1IsQZvwUlyQFLK8fijJnVoRO53Ak5QwNnSCF4QJI3ovtPshRmmjJQyWFiFMhH-Nuk2TlIGRDotHq7tiUcEP8EKKOo1H5PPwIoMGxupFpsgcktOyb1TKDc/s1600/CMMI-in-2013-300x250.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="274" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_eyRazmhVq93KCnFtWaGWd1IsQZvwUlyQFLK8fijJnVoRO53Ak5QwNnSCF4QJI3ovtPshRmmjJQyWFiFMhH-Nuk2TlIGRDotHq7tiUcEP8EKKOo1H5PPwIoMGxupFpsgcktOyb1TKDc/s200/CMMI-in-2013-300x250.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">As it turned out, we were one of at least six couples who had been split in the seat reassignment jumble. Once everyone boarded, all the mismatches negotiated a fruit basket turnover to reunite with our flight partners, and I joined Ken in row 13. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Thankfully, we didn't have long to fret on the one-hour flight. As the pilot enjoyed landing the small plane on a long runway in Chisinau, taking his sweet time to brake, I found myself repeatedly chanting the names of three people dear to me who were born on a 13th: Mother, Cathy, Karen. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Mother, Cathy, Karen. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> Apparently the mantra worked because we were soon inside the terminal going through passport control. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Maybe the experience will make me a little less fearful of 13—until it bites me again.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">More Photos</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsq1MISMGF8AfazH0p_KeBYqIGJeWfzbECgagOhQXSNwSLqtIXWKdp7ylCYAdKhOf4qtUhW1311fedz7WgiIk0H2TrNsr7gU7bzBarRRmQrBK3wHSMBtIxvgrZQod40JfrPG0qVkg_c7I/s1600/9AE8C6BE-5E1F-4C60-964B-2DD700D4F48A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsq1MISMGF8AfazH0p_KeBYqIGJeWfzbECgagOhQXSNwSLqtIXWKdp7ylCYAdKhOf4qtUhW1311fedz7WgiIk0H2TrNsr7gU7bzBarRRmQrBK3wHSMBtIxvgrZQod40JfrPG0qVkg_c7I/s640/9AE8C6BE-5E1F-4C60-964B-2DD700D4F48A.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The busy Bucharest airport</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQISFbHstbrO4S-TCxoDcgXJB3LyICW8alxtW68qPhn3BYSuLU_2zAxlvJoxvwXEs5PnWJFmlRN8R35ECxBoaXrh8FoOvGUmg0J_GiyENQkpWaZVQ7YZU79wMAd8fRqBkjaz3O6bbZck/s1600/7CE4A378-4FC7-4120-B49D-191526003E07.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQISFbHstbrO4S-TCxoDcgXJB3LyICW8alxtW68qPhn3BYSuLU_2zAxlvJoxvwXEs5PnWJFmlRN8R35ECxBoaXrh8FoOvGUmg0J_GiyENQkpWaZVQ7YZU79wMAd8fRqBkjaz3O6bbZck/s640/7CE4A378-4FC7-4120-B49D-191526003E07.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Security screening, the universal experience of the 21st century flyer </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZB7DlxHdgJxdBSy5hlkE-on3-kO-81iXjXeRVGhm0S8I1k65-BxdKILZuyW9-SCbX-OcZdBE7dUgy8GmPKswYeJ4F0QLum5A_mgalA6XgYd__-nAb6-SiBM9UG8tlVSwZNE87UtX-4Vo/s1600/E7B15BCF-FE6C-47BF-AACB-DC84A811E2A3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZB7DlxHdgJxdBSy5hlkE-on3-kO-81iXjXeRVGhm0S8I1k65-BxdKILZuyW9-SCbX-OcZdBE7dUgy8GmPKswYeJ4F0QLum5A_mgalA6XgYd__-nAb6-SiBM9UG8tlVSwZNE87UtX-4Vo/s640/E7B15BCF-FE6C-47BF-AACB-DC84A811E2A3.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entire interior of our plane to Chisinau</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEu2RmexxQeBjlotHkX1jCCpevjq4_Pt3TXJl7D6bgRr1w1knKeXkFqWmaGz4kInZjirLhNGNgeKgsXPDL4m3Nv4enEiPaNhsW5A_3fy_Zb-d4q-7DYdXPQ28G73r6SAmf1iQmiuUq1l0/s1600/5D570C06-F09E-4C4E-8A61-0AA210382AE2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEu2RmexxQeBjlotHkX1jCCpevjq4_Pt3TXJl7D6bgRr1w1knKeXkFqWmaGz4kInZjirLhNGNgeKgsXPDL4m3Nv4enEiPaNhsW5A_3fy_Zb-d4q-7DYdXPQ28G73r6SAmf1iQmiuUq1l0/s640/5D570C06-F09E-4C4E-8A61-0AA210382AE2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a plane too small for a jet bridge, we bussed to the terminal again.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PNFFs95PAruODA6hE6VufHBRTRsqBibq-ukL7Aa2lYus26CtStaBEqk-bWhS4xW6hvUuul4IW70AjrjtsIHZm6OaJ42aXkKSVGpEhDoKo-IsJScoWtnxiJDyr3Xb2KdRvGM96dRgtNg/s1600/25104EC8-748F-4E8E-BA43-67B40A31F66D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PNFFs95PAruODA6hE6VufHBRTRsqBibq-ukL7Aa2lYus26CtStaBEqk-bWhS4xW6hvUuul4IW70AjrjtsIHZm6OaJ42aXkKSVGpEhDoKo-IsJScoWtnxiJDyr3Xb2KdRvGM96dRgtNg/s640/25104EC8-748F-4E8E-BA43-67B40A31F66D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved the "Family Lane" at passport control in Chisinau</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGzdiGkHZ4ceUwwtVbxdmOuWp_WZLQV37xTENXvjAeAJoDM49ZhQUt9hUvvvj_UYg4GQaoI9X3TAp7KEFR7VRLC_VXLVrjIRAeWps7wmkqKYkqT8eGk3s5S81dRWqcqZJ5pJMFESqcNs/s1600/90383FDA-D87C-4462-A5AF-FA2DC11D8A80.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGzdiGkHZ4ceUwwtVbxdmOuWp_WZLQV37xTENXvjAeAJoDM49ZhQUt9hUvvvj_UYg4GQaoI9X3TAp7KEFR7VRLC_VXLVrjIRAeWps7wmkqKYkqT8eGk3s5S81dRWqcqZJ5pJMFESqcNs/s640/90383FDA-D87C-4462-A5AF-FA2DC11D8A80.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nativity Cathedral interior</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4Q3i-eYLHDvq88H7aIefRyX6nUGJD4HECIE8EteYOBweW5fF1y0p33HI0zcP5B8C45Sas4KIUQ7yWr7Olu978fYhotN2dnCOnqtBdyVkZ8DXh1_7nQosFkQVWuyAXCdltNRi0YEaI0M/s1600/52D63BE9-1E7E-4ABD-8EF3-F982459DB37F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4Q3i-eYLHDvq88H7aIefRyX6nUGJD4HECIE8EteYOBweW5fF1y0p33HI0zcP5B8C45Sas4KIUQ7yWr7Olu978fYhotN2dnCOnqtBdyVkZ8DXh1_7nQosFkQVWuyAXCdltNRi0YEaI0M/s640/52D63BE9-1E7E-4ABD-8EF3-F982459DB37F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A special place just for love locks in Chisinau's Cathedral Park</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comChisinau, Moldova47.0104529 28.86381019999998946.8371849 28.54108669999999 47.1837209 29.186533699999988