So in mid-July (2009) we spent one week in Ireland - (enough to just scratch the surface) but what a wonderful country! Evi and Howie, Melanie, Gadi, and my brother Joel and his daughter Stephanie were packed somewhat comfortably in a small minivan, traveling along the narrow country roads of Ireland for a week. We formed a triangle connecting Dublin, Cork and Galway, and got a very good feel for the country. Yes, I'd love to go back. * People: Warm, friendly, helpful, willing to go out of their way to show the way or explain some history. * Weather: We [View Full Entry]

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Hello friends, Evi and I just returned home from a 10 day excursion in America's largest state, Alaska. Starting from Fairbanks we worked our way south for 3 days through Denali, the nation's largest national park, towards Anchorage and eventually our ship in Whittier. Alaska is truly the land of wide open spaces. Few paved roads, automobiles, noise, urban stress. Beaucoup bears, moose, eagles, mountain sheep, and tourists (thank goodness - keeps the economy going). Miles of human-free landscape; if you drive the main highway from Fairbanks to Anchorage, about 350 miles, you'll pass ri [View Full Entry]

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Sierra Beauty (California) North America » United States » California » Yosemite By Howie July 11th 2007 Howard RachelsonHello again, it's been a while. So my friend Joel and I took a road trip from Marin county eastward to Yosem [View Full Entry]

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So I flew from Miami up to New York City, especially for a reunion of my college fraternity brothers, (Penn State, Phi Sigma Delta). It was unbelievable to be in the presence of some guys I haven't seen for years and years. I also took lots of photos, of course, so I hope you enjoy them. [View Full Entry]

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Well, it's been eight months since we returned from our big trip, so I keenly anticipated a two week jaunt to the east coast; one week in Florida, home of my brother Carl and his family and friends, then another week in New York city for a reunion of my college fraternity (Penn State, Phi Sigma Delta). Miami is sooo beautiful, tropical, colorful, exotic and sensual. The temperature, in early January, has been in the low 80's (about 28 C). It looks and feels like summer here - outdoor restaurants, beaches full of people, joggers, bike riders, dog walkers... Tourists from [View Full Entry]

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So I flew back from Athens to Philadelphia on the news of the ill health of Gilda, formerly married to my late father Norman. Spent time with family and friends while awaiting news from the health front, which terminated unfortunately with loss of life, a funeral, and family togetherness. Evi flew from Athens to Basel, spent time with her parents and friends, awaiting news from the western hemisphere while making some side trips of her own, to Zurich and to Italy, with Rob and Pascal to their home along the Lake of Lugano. (If Evi had a digital camera you would [View Full Entry]

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Hello All, We flew from Tel Aviv to Athens, and were enchanted by the beauty of Athens, a huuuuge city, stretching as far as the eye can see in all directions. It's relatively flat with a few large hills. Most impressive is the Acropolis (which means city on high land), topped by the Parthenon. Because of the recent Olympics, Athens has been modernized: new subway system, more organized, and higher prices. But one thing that never changes is the rock and ancient buildings, some 2500 year old, which often sit next door to a modern shop or restaurant. The Greek people [View Full Entry]

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Hello again. Since last speaking with you from Eilat (southernmost point in Israel), we began driving north through the Negev desert, stopping in Mitzpe Ramon, a city that sits on the edge of a steep cliff overlooking the Ramon crater, a deep bowl in the desert whose rocks contain fish fossils, since the crater was underneath the sea millions of years ago. Then we drove towards Beer Sheva and spent a few days living with a bedouin family who now live in a city with homes and streets. Almost every home has a tent outside where the men sit every evening, [View Full Entry]

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Hello friends and neighbors. I know it's been a while since the last blog, written from Basel. Now it's time to bring you up to date. We have been in Israel for a week so far; we visited our old stomping grounds in Herzliya, then drove southward towards the warmth of the spring sun, to the Negev, the Arava, and Eilat. We’ll be here two more weeks, mostly in Jerusalem (next blog) Everybody has a preconceived notion of what Israel is about, but nobody can put their finger on one description. It’s a land of extremes: inhabitants from a hundred countries, [View Full Entry]

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OK since we've returned from South Africa, we are back in the winter zone of Basel, but now it's the beginning of the end of winter, because Fasnacht is upon us. Running annually since perhaps the 11th century, Fasnacht is the beginning of the fasting season of lent (although the Swiss are primarily non-Catholic). The festival, which begins the Monday after Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is marked by music, merriment, food, drink, and amazing costumes. It always begins with the "Morgenstraich" Monday at 4 am, when all the lights in the city are turned off; the huge illuminated lanterns accomp [View Full Entry]

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