07/14 Stockholm, Sweden

Eventually the crowds gathered and like sheep we were herded onto the boat.  I managed to weasel my way through the gridlock to the sunny side of the ship, found myself a deck chair and began to relax under the sun.  There was a young lady who had the same idea and took the liberty to pull her chair up next to mine and start up a conversation.  Honestly I was more interested in her bathing suit than the conversation.  From here the view was spectacular.  Thousands of white sails littered the horizon and the many islands looked as if God scattered them from his own hand.  …

05/31 South Wales

We proceeded down through the middle of Wales, heading south toward the coast.  We followed the hedge groves that lined the road as it meandered like a large serpent, forcing the adjacent hill to bow to its will.   …

12/02 Istanbul, Turkey

We continued munching on nuts up to the entrance to the Topkapi Palace, the heart of the Ottoman Empire.  I naturally avoided the circumcision room.  I was very impressed with the jewels on display.  The sultan’s armor had diamonds and emeralds the size of baseballs.  I have a lot of respect for somebody who can step on battle field with jewelry of that value and not get raped.  We crammed a lot into one day and I was dead on my feet so we didn’t wander far from our hotel to find food.  …

05/20 London, England

The clouds had parted and the wings of our plane began to dry.  The very first thing I noticed was that “I wasn’t in Kansas anymore”.  Gatwick Airport had green pastures on both sides of the runway.  Unconcerned cows looked up at our passing plane.  This was a total contrast to the cement landscape we left behind in LA. …

10/27 Matala, Crete Greece

With the birth of a new day we began to head back to fetch our bags from the hotel.  Beyond all odds we managed to fit all of us and all the baggage into one cab.  Two of us had to lie across laps in the back seat.  Our taxi driver slid in an eight-track and we were off to the airport.  I found it odd that the stewardess confiscated only the US passports and then forced us to sit in specific seats, “the American” section.  I guess in case of hijacking that would better protect the locals.  I believed my eyes closed for just a second but when they opened we were landing in Crete. …

07/08 Northern Sweden

As I reached the Arctic Circle, I got off the train in what seemed to be a ghost town.  I would assume it was at least three in the morning and everything in sight was closed.  Although early in the morning the sun was still up creating an odd feeling, like being on a set of a twilight zone episode.  You could tell something was off.  I was carrying an address of a good place to stay that was given to me somewhere along the road.  At that point I really didn’t care how nice it was as long as it had a working shower.   …

11/09 Jerusalem, Israel

My eyes were glued to the window of the bus.  The landscape we passed reminded me a lot of my home.  The anticipation of knowing Jerusalem was approaching was beginning to take hold.  There were many images that had been presented to me throughout my youth that I now have the opportunity to touch.  The bus let us off at the Jaffa Gate.  Jenni had a name and address of a family given to her from a mutual friend that could perhaps put us up for the night.  I noticed a tourist office just off to my left and thought that might be a good place to start and to find ourselves a map of the city.   …

09/20 Paris, France

I attached myself to the rear of a group touring Notre Dame.  After I came down from the tower I found myself sitting among delinquents in the square just outside the church.  After I finished a cigarette I proceeded down to the Louve.  It took me all day to wander its halls, a maze of inconveniences.  I planned on coming back in a day or two to catch up on what I missed.  I always wanted to learn how to paint, so  I enjoyed watching the students copy the masters.   …

10/01 Villach, Austria

I managed to get some sleep just prior to boarding an early train into Villach.  I didn’t have anything to read and I was getting a little bored.  I got out some colored pencils I had been carrying for some time and began coding a chart of guitar chords.  I was focused in on what I was doing, dreaming about something when I noticed a strong feeling that I was being watched.  I looked over to my left and sitting a couple of rows down the car were three of the cutest little girls all dressed up for Sunday church.   …

12/08 Lienz, Austria

When we finally reached Villach and obtained some currency, sugar was on the menu.  I found a dream of bakeries and was operating on the ‘try everything once’ premise, but we cut that short for some real food.  We spent the rest of the day checking out shop windows.  Jenni expressed a passion for shop windows.  I suggested that she get herself a nice camera and perhaps someday she would publish a book.   …

08/09 Burn, Switzerland

Jim joined the hostel attitude.  He didn’t want to go anywhere, see anything, he just wanted to stick around the hostel and wash his clothes, so I sought out on my own.  I checked out Albert Einstein’s home and then the modern art museum.  “One man’s treasure is another man’s trash”.  I love art but sometimes.  I wandered the market and the local stops searching for Christmas gifts, but ended up buying chocolates to satisfy my taste buds instead.  …

11/13 Jerusalem, Israel

Alongside the darkness we walked the city streets.  It was a different feel since the majority of the shops were boarded up for the night.  It gave the streets a maze like feel.  We came upon a community of water pipes where I sat across from an elderly blind man and a few of his companions.  We shared a pot of spearmint tea and a conversation.  I had a picture taken but it was very dark and without a flash I wasn’t sure if it would come out.  …

05/23 Londond, England

Over these last few days, I don’t think there has been a single street or ally way we didn’t accustom ourselves to.  Most pubs we stopped in for a pint, maybe even two.  About midday I ended up lying out in the middle of Hyde Park, looking up through the trees, day dreaming under the blue sky.  It was another gorgeous day.  …

05/19 Los Angeles, California

Imprisoned by my own curiosity. I felt as if I was looking up through trees that encircled my view, staring at the many branches and the fruits suspended beyond my grasp.  I knew I could no longer be satisfied simply to lie here on my back, closing my eyes and dreaming of things out of my reach.

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