Athens
Greece
April 24, 2015

My friends,

I suppose that when you think of Athens you think of Greek temples and marble columns and sculpture from centuries ago.  And I am sure that very soon I will see those unique features of the city.

But on this first morning I head out from my hotel to Victoria Square.   From the square I can take the subway to the Acropolis stop.  But instead  I decide to walk in that direction.   I eventually arrived at the station but not at the temple.

Athens

Greece

April 25, 2015

Here I am at THE Acropolis, one of the wonders of the ancient world. 

So why am I so “down?”

Jetlag?

Homesick?

Headache from the din of noisy tourists?

Just can’t get motivated!

Then along come a Greek Goddess and her Faithful Companion. 

Athens

Hellenic Republic

Sunday

April 26, 2015

I need a drink every time I visit a place like this.

Housed in a small, lovely building, displaying a variety of secular artifacts and religious icons, the Jewish Museum of Greece carries the appropriate name - a museum - the lifeless panorama of history.

Jews lived in Greece for more than two thousand years.  But in large numbers, Jews arrived in Greece following their expulsion from Spain and Portugal in the late Fifteenth Century.  For more than four hundred years, communities thrived here, especially in the northern city of Thessalonica, known as the “Little Jerusalem.”  In 1940, the Jewish population of Thessalonica exceeded 53,000 children, women and men.

Skopje

Republic of Macedonia

Temporary name: FYROM  (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)

May 19, 2015

Sometimes I just need to take a break.

Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, is just the place.  The bank of the Vardar River is lined with cafes.  I choose one and sit! 

The view across the river is of a brilliant sunlit extravaganza of government buildings and museums.

Skopje

Macedonia

May 20, 2015

Lake Matka lies only about a forty minute drive outside Skopje. 

Formed by a hydroelectric dam, the lake sits below the steep sides of the Treska Canyon.  It’s an idyllic spot for a moderate hike along a narrow path above the tranquil lake.

After my hike, I returned to the outdoor restaurant that overlooks the lake.  I lingered over a lunch of delicious fish soup with salmon and vegetables, and a green salad with sautéed mushrooms and grated cheese. 

Is there a better way to spend a day?

Mostar

Bosnia-Herzegovina

June 3, 2015

Dear Adventure Travelers,

Did you know that for a small fee of a mere 25 Euros, you can personally perform a (supervised) high dive off the most famous bridge in the Balkans?   

The Stari Most or Old Bridge of Mostar, built in the Sixteenth Century, stands 25 meters (82 feet) above the Neretva River.  By comparison, the Olympics Platform Dive is a measly 10 meters (33 feet).

In 1993, during the Civil War in the former Yugoslavia, the original bridge built by the Ottomans was destroyed.

The elegant bridge was rebuilt in 2004 and is the most recognizable landmark in the country.  There’s a lot of history here.*