Hello everyone! This is a short note to let you all know that I have not dropped off the face of the earth, I have just been having such a great time that I have not prioritized writing blog entries or holing up at internet cafes. Sadly, my trip is coming to an end within the week. As a result, I will not be posting another blog entry until I return to Miami. While there, I will be readjusting to life in the US and figuring out what to do with myself. Needless to say, I will have some time to [View Full Entry]

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After being pampered and coddled for 19 days with my parents and a subsequent 3 days with Jon, I got on a train and rode east for Hradec Kralove where I got to be pampered and coddled some more by Matt who is on a business contract out in this part of Czech. Why is everyone here? Because it really is that good. Admittedly, of the week I was out there, I only spent one afternoon in Hradec Kralove itself and another visiting nearby Kuneticka Hora Castle and driving through the countryside. A couple days were spent in R&R at the [View Full Entry]

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We spent our last four days together in Prague, strolling the streets, eating meat and dumplings, drinking beer, and taking in the architecture while dodging the germans and spaniards dominating the streets. Lucky for us, we managed to score an apartment in an area of town right near the top of Wenceslas Square. While the apartment itself was wildly unspectacular, the location was perfect and gave us easy access to all the major sites and some interesting back alleys not often visited by tourists. Lucky for us, my friend Jon who is originally from Prague was in town on one of [View Full Entry]

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Buda and Pest The overnight train to Hungary from Romania ended up being dull and uneventful, despite the immediate claustrophobia and repeated warnings from the train guy about using a belt to tie the bunk ladder to the inside of our door to keep us safe after passing through customs, of course. How were we supposed to stay safe during the first four hours? Oy vey! Our arrival in Budapest was marked by a trip to McDonald´s. Yes, ladies and gents, I finally went into an american fast food chain while on this journey. Having not needed or wanted one during [View Full Entry]

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Citadels, Castles and Restored Villages Transylvania, known to many of us as the home of ¨Dracula,¨ was for many years a German colony. King Geza II of Hungary invited the Saxons to develop towns and cultivate the land of Transylvania during the late 12th century 13th centuries, fortifying and defending the borders of the territory during the onslaught of the Ottoman Empire. The Saxons enjoyed a privileged status and denied the Romanians citizenship and access to practice their crafts and arts - now the domain of the Saxons who dominated trade and mercantile routes. Brasov (Kron [View Full Entry]

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The northern part of Romania is home to painted monasteries from the 14th and 15th centuries. The monasteries of Bucovina, near Suceava, were beautiful. It was incredible to witness the vibrancy of the frescoes both inside and outside the churches. The details are still intact and in some cases appear to have been painted within the last 100 years rather than during the 14th century. Monica was a great tour guide and keeps a lovely hostel in Suceava which she cares for and continually beautifies with her green thumb. She even traded plants with the nuns at a couple of the [View Full Entry]

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My parents joined me in Romania and we spent one day in Bucharest. Enough time to see the major sights and appreciate the indelible mark Cecesceau left on the city when he destroyed swaths of historical neighborhoods in order to carve monumental boulevards and erect massive structures in a neo-classical style. An additional day was well spent wandering through the major park, people watching, drinking beer and easting ´mischi´which are grilled sausages with an indescribable hearty flavor. The Romanians like beer and enjoy summer evenings spent outside socializing whether in beer gardens scatte [View Full Entry]

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I found myself spending over one week in Bhaktapur, Nepal. As a result of my friend Stephen in Malaysia, I connected with Rajan in Bhaktapur and his family graciously offered to give me a home for the duration of my stay there. My experiences there were incredible and some of the most stimulating and satisfying times of my journey thus far. Bhaktapur is a UNESCO world heritage site. The architecture is predominately brick-based and the windows and doors are intricately carved in a traditional style. Walking around the streets is a feast for the eyes as different religious and cultural scene [View Full Entry]

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Over the last few weeks I've spent several days in Kathmandu. When I first arrived, I was thrown into a flurry of local activity. I was lucky enough to meet some locals, among them members of the Royal Family, and I was invited into their homes and shared meals and conversation with them. I was very well taken care of. Upon my return from Pokhara, I hid out for a couple days so I could actually see some of the city's sights. I couldn't escape the locals though as every tea, momo and sweet shop I walked into would involve a [View Full Entry]

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After spending two nights at Annapurna Base Camp and trying to keep all my fingers intact as I merrily snapped away during the wee hours, it was time to return home. The first two days were a repeat of my journey into the sanctuary, but at Chomrong we turned west and headed through rhododendron forests and hillsides to Ghorepani. From this village, a pre-dawn hike up Poon Hill yielded magnificent views of 4 mountain ranges: The Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Macchapucchre, and Nilgiri. By this time, I was already battling a wicked head cold and getting up the 400m to the top of [View Full Entry]

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