Miami, Florida
June 7, 2001
Dear Family and Friends,
On Tuesday, June 12, I leave for a one-month adventure to The Balkans.
I fly on Swissair non-stop to Zurich and then on to Bucharest, Romania. I hope to see my friend Corina who I met in Budapest last summer.
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
My Dear Family and Friends,
I am sitting in the delightful Hubertus Restaurant, listening to a sweet trio (keyboard, violin and clarinet) while I wait for my main course of roasted quail with potatoes and tomato salad.
July 3, 2001
Dear Family and Friends,
After two weeks in Romania I crossed the Danube into БЬЛГаРИЯ at РУСЕ.
I can’t read a sign.
The Bulgarians invented the Cyrillic alphabet, and like the Greeks, their neighbors to the south, they insist on maintaining their ancient culture.
I had lunch at the Happy Bar and Grill where all the attractive waitresses wore short, I mean short mini-skirts. So much for ancient culture.
Litohoro
Greece
July 6, 2001
Please click on the photo for more images of Greece.
I took the bus south. It took one hour to cross the border out of Bulgaria and another hour to cross into Greece. After all the passport checking and rechecking - standing around in the hot sun for two hours - the driver drove about thirty seconds, pulled off the road and we stopped for a coffee! As Manuela might say, “Welcome to Greece.”
Thessaloniki, Macedonia
Sunday, July 15, 2001
My Dear Family and Friends,
This evening is my next to last day in Macedonia, my next to last day in Greece, and the next to last day of my journey in The Balkans. And what a journey it has been. Almost five weeks by airplane, train, subway, bus, car, taxi, hydrofoil, ferry, and foot. Lots of foot.
Miami, Florida
July 19, 2001
Dear Family and Friends,
Just to let you know that I arrived home safely on Tuesday afternoon as scheduled. The Swissair flights were uneventful.
Letter to Sofia
Miami, Florida
July 19, 2001
Dear Lily and Annie,
I got home about ten days ago and I think I am finally over my depression. I was so sad. Yesterday I put my pictures in an album and I almost started to cry. Today I went to the beach with some friends so now I am finally back among the living.
Miami, Florida
August 26, 2001
Dear Dora,
Thank you for your letter from Brasov.
My summer travels have come to an end. I am home, sorting through weeks of mail and bills. I am filling my refrigerator with food. Don't feel sad for me. The weather here is quite hot so I am off to the beach this afternoon.
Miami, Florida
September 29, 2001
To the Editor, Miami Herald, Focus Section - Sunday, August 26, 2001
Dear Sir,
I read your article “A Romanian Journey” with great interest and disappointment.
Miami
Florida, USA
September 30, 2001
Hello!
How are you “Mr. Crazy American"?
Of course I remember you, and I'm happy you remember us.
