The Republic of Hungary - former member of the Soviet Bloc, current member of the European Union. A little more than twenty years ago, as American citizens, we would not have been allowed in this country. Likewise, Hungarians could not leave. The Warsaw Pact of 1955, which created economic and military alliances with the Soviet Union, raised the Iron Curtain in Europe, dividing it into two distinct and antagonistic entities. Immigration and media in the Eastern European countries were severely restricted. However, while the western NATO states flourished, the cooperating Bloc countries stagnated and floundered. In 1987, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev introduced the reform ideas of perestroika, and in 1988 Hungary, always the most liberal of Bloc members, officially eliminated all travel restrictions, even removing its border fence with Austria, effectively revealing the many crack... read more

Our last full cruise day was spent, mainly, lounging and trying new foods. It was our final “fun day at sea,” and the weather had been much more tanning-friendly. The top deck was congested with sunbathing families, making the lower levels a place of quiet refuge. We sat in the café, sipping on lattes. As I typed some of these blogs on this Asus net book I attracted the attention of three different technophiles (all of them from Asian countries, in fact), including a cruise employee, all of whom asked excited questions about its various components. I should, as I reflect on the experience, say something about the cruise staff. They must be paid well, because I have never seen that amount of people who appear to enjoy their jobs as much as they seem to, ... read more

Unfortunately, our movie experience was a bust. At 9:30 Kristen and I were the only two on deck, lying beneath large towels on lawn chairs as a fog swirled along the deck. We began watching Eagle Eye on the jumbo screen. Slowly, more people began to join us. The fog horn, which had been blowing all day, was only a minor nuisance through the first half of the movie. However, at around 10:30 the volume suddenly increased dramatically, shaking people with heart-racing fear and stinging the eardrums. By 10:45 we had had enough and retreated to the club areas of the ship to watch an “R-Rated Adult Humor” show (Marvin Bell). It was entertaining, but for someone who watches a lot of stand-up comedy, few jokes trekked into unfamiliar territory. The next morning we crawled out ... read more

At least once a year my wife and I make the eight-hour drive from Connecticut down through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to visit my grandfather. Before he moved there, he was among the swarms of retired ex-patriot Yankees living in the Myrtle Beach area. I grew to know that area intimately, and I particularly fell in love with Charleston, which lay over an hour’s drive down Route 17. Many times I wandered those old streets, exploring back alleys and gardens, and it was one of the first places to which I took my wife when we began dating. The Shenandoah Valley is not as varied in its entertainment forms as the Myrtle Beach area, and is certainly less commercial. Its charm lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains that stand, majestic purple and often crowned in ... read more

August 3, 2008 While I find a way to travel each year, my closest friends are not always able, normally due to financial constraints. With this in mind I put together a short vacation that could get us away for a few days at minimal cost and that would appeal to our appreciation for nature and history. As a child my family had often gone up to Lake George, NY, for summer vacation, home to ideal fresh water beaches, a reconstructed fort, hiking opportunities, downtown shops, and an amusement park. I searched online and found a three-bedroom cottage at an affordable price. Kristen, Gabe, Nate and I pile into a car and drive for three hours along the largely scenic Route 22 and Interstates 90 and 87. Derek will meet up with us that evening. Shortly ... read more